QUENCHOFLUORIMETRIC DETERMINATION OF MERCURY(II) AT ULTRATRACE LEVELSUSING BATHOPHENANTHROLINEDISULPHONATE

Mercury(II) has been determined quenchofluorimetrically in the range 1 0ng/ml-1 mu g/ml using bathophenanthrolinedisulphonate (lambda(ex(max) ) = 288 nm; lambda(em(max)) = 444.8 nm) in the pH range 3.8 - 4.4 of o ver sixty diverse ions and some common complexing agents studied only Cu(II), Ni(II) and Co(II) interfere, but the interference can be remov ed by using Amberlite IR-120 cation exchanger. The method has been app lied for estimation of Hg(II) in sewage sludge, environmental water an d certified reference material in spiked and unspiked conditions. The method is very precise and accurate (sigma +/- 0.396 & rsd = 0.791% fo r 11 determinations of 50 ng Hg/ml).