Determination of Mercury(II) in Drinking Water by Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and Liquid–Liquid Microextraction

ABSTRACT

The total reflection X-ray fluorescence determination of mercury(II) in drinking water at concentrations of 7 × 10⁻² to 3.0 µg/L is reported. The mercury(II) preconcentration protocol includes directly suspended droplet microextraction with benzene as a molecular iodine complex. The proposed approach is highly selective. The elements Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, and Pb at concentrations up to 0.1 g/L did not interfere with the extraction of trace mercury(II). The method is characterized by high sensitivity (limit of detection of 21 ng/L) and suitable reproducibility (relative standard deviation of 0.12 for 100 ng/L). The accuracy of the results was confirmed by recovery and the method of standard addition.

KEYWORDS:

• Directly suspended droplet microextraction
• drinking water
• liquid–liquid microextraction
• mercury(II)
• total reflection X-ray fluorescence analysis

Additional information

Funding

The research was performed with the financial support of the Russian Science Foundation (Grant No. 14-23-00012).