INORGANIC AND METHYLMERCURY SPECIATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL-SAMPLES

The different strategies for mercury species analysis in environmental ly-related samples are reviewed. After consideration of the main diffe rent steps involved in the speciation of mercury, such steps are discu ssed with more extension for mercuric ion and methylmercury. The diffe rent approaches for preservation of these mercury species during the s torage of samples are considered. Different ways for the extraction of mercury species from the several possible environmental compartments and the possibilities for preconcentration of such species after previ ous derivatization reactions are discussed. Mercuric ions and methylme rcury chromatographic and non-chromatographic separations along with d ifferent techniques used for sensitive and selective detection of merc ury are also critically reviewed. Ranges of published detection limits achievable for such species determination, by using hyphenated techni ques between a chromatographic separation and a specific atomic detect or are also given. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.