Mercury speciation in thawed out and refrozen fish samples by gas chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic fluorescence spectroscopy

Petra Krystek*, Rob Ritsema

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

Different sub-sampling procedures were applied for the determination of mercury species (as total mercury Hg, methylmercury MeHg+ and inorganic mercury Hg2+) in frozen fish meat. Analyses were carried out by two different techniques. After the sample material was pre-treated by microwave digestion, atomic fluorescence spectroscopy (AFS) was used for the determination of total Hg. Speciation analysis was performed according to the following procedure: dissolution of sample material in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), derivatisation with sodium tetraethylborate (NaBEt 4), extraction into isooctane and measurement with gas chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICPMS) for the identification and quantification of methylmercury (MeHg+) and inorganic mercury (Hg2+). The concentration range of total Hg measured in the shark fillets is between 0.9 and 3.6 μg g-1 thawed out shark fillet. Speciation analysis leads to ≥94% Hg present as MeHg+. Homogeneity, storage conditions and stability of analytical species and sample materials have great influence on analytical results. Sub-sampling of half-frozen/partly thawed out fish and analysis lead to significantly different concentrations, which are on average a factor of two lower.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)354-359
Number of pages6
JournalAnalytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry
Volume381
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2005

Keywords

  • Atomic fluorescence spectrometry
  • Frozen fish
  • Gas chromatography
  • Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry
  • Inorganic mercury
  • Methylmercury
  • Shark
  • Speciation
  • Sub-sampling

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Mercury speciation in thawed out and refrozen fish samples by gas chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and atomic fluorescence spectroscopy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this