IMPROVEMENTS IN METHYLMERCURY DETERMINATION PRIOR TO THE CERTIFICATION OF 2 TUNA FISH MATERIALS

An account is given of a systematic, collaborative investigation to de tect problems and sources of error in the determination of methylmercu ry (MeHg) in biological samples. The work was done by a group of analy tical laboratories under the auspices of the Community Bureau of Refer ence (BCR) of the Commission of the European Communities (EC). The pap er presents the organization of three intercomparisons on organic merc ury in solution and solid matrices, and the results obtained by the pa rticipants. The different analytical steps of the methods used (extrac tion, clean-up, separation, final detection) are compared and assessed .