Rapid Determination of Mercury in Plant and Soil Samples Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy, a Comparative Study

• Published in: Water, air, and soil pollution Vol. 170; no. 1-4; pp. 161 - 171
• Main Authors: Han, F.X, Patterson, W.D, Xia, Y, Sridhar, B.B.M, Su, Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.02.2006; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis methods; analytical methods; Applied sciences; Aquatic plants; Atomic absorption spectroscopy; bioaccumulation; chemical analysis; cold vapor atomic adsorption spectroscopy; Comparative studies; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Emission spectroscopy; Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics; Environmental monitoring; Exact sciences and technology; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; Mercury; Plant tissues; polluted soils; Pollution; Pollution, environment geology; Sample preparation; Soil and sediments pollution; soil chemical properties; Soil pollution; Soils; Spectral analysis; Spectrum analysis; Mississippi; United States; North America; America; Atomic emission spectrometry; inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; soil; Pteridophyta; Soil pollution; Heavy metal; Rapid technique; Sample preparation; Loamy soil; ICP mass spectroscopy; Cold vapor; plant; Measurement method; Measurement accuracy; Ultisols; Biological accumulation; Soil plant relation; cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy; inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy; Mercury; Comparative study; Filicineae; Atomic absorption spectrometry
• ISSN: 0049-6979; 1573-2932
• DOI: 10.1007/s11270-006-3003-5

The objectives of this study were to simplify sample preparation and validate mercury detection in soil and plant samples using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). A set of mercury contaminated and mercury free soil and plant samples were digested and analyzed by ICP-AES, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy (CVAAS). Results show that mercury measurements in soil and plant samples using ICP-AES were in agreement with those analyzed using ICP-MS and CVAAS. The concentrations of mercury in soils and plant tissues determined by ICP-AES were 92.2% and 90.5% of those determined by CVAAS and ICP-MS, respectively. Digestion of soil samples with 4 M HNO₃ and direct measurement by ICP-AES without reduction of Hg²⁺ to Hg⁰ gave a reasonable and acceptable recovery (92%) for determining Hg in soils. We conclude that ICP-AES with optimized conditions (addition of gold chloride, extension of washing time, linear working range, and selection of wavelength - 194 nm) resulted in reliable detection of mercury in environmental samples.