Publications

Low Level Mercury Analysis Using Cold Vapour Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry

This poster relates to work carried out under project R3 – Ensuring global acceptability of UK measurement of the NMS Chemical and Biological Metrology programme.

The toxicity of mercury is a well known problem and with ever decreasing permissible allowable limits, there is a need to measure mercury at very low levels, both accurately and precisely. The Water Framework Directive (WFD 2000/60/EC) has identified mercury as a priority hazardous substance of major concern in European waters.

In conjunction with CCQM and Euromet, a pilot study was undertaken for the analysis of mercury in natural water at the sub ng g^-1 level. This poster describes the use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) coupled with a cold vapour generator to enhance the detection capability and precision of the measurements. Isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) was also applied to ensure the highest accuracy.

The results highlight the advantages of using ICPMS combined with IDMS for the analysis of mercury at the pg g^-1 level for high accuracy, traceability and low uncertainty and the values obtained were in good agreement with the mean for the study when compared with the other participating laboratories.

This poster was presented at the BIPM Summer School held in June 2008.

To download this poster click on the link below (you must be logged in). For further information about topics covered by the poster, please contact the NMS helpdesk at LGC.