METHOD #: 245.

2 Approved for NPDES and SDWA (Issued 1974)

TITLE: Mercury (Automated Cold Vapor Technique)

ANALYTE: CAS # Hg Mercury 7439-97-6

INSTRUMENTATION: AA

STORET No. Total 71900

Dissolved 71890
Suspended 71895

1.0 Scope and Application

1.1 This method is applicable to surface waters. It may be applicable to saline

waters, wastewaters, effluents, and domestic sewages providing potential
interferences are not present (See Interference 4).
1.2 The working range is 0.2 to 20.0 Fg Hg/L.

2.0 Summary of Method

2.1 The flameless AA procedure is a physical method based on the absorption of

radiation at 253.7 nm by mercury vapor. The mercury is reduced to the
elemental state and aerated from solution. The mercury vapor passes through
a cell positioned in the light path of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
Absorbance (peak height) is measured as a function of mercury concentration
and recorded in the usual manner.
2.2 In addition to inorganic forms of mercury, organic mercurials may also be
present. These organo-mercury compounds will not respond to the flameless
atomic absorption technique unless they are first broken down and converted
to mercuric ions. Potassium permanganate oxidizes many of these compounds
but recent studies have shown that a number of organic mercurials, including
phenyl mercuric acetate and methyl mercuric chloride, are only partially
oxidized by this reagent. Potassium persulfate has been found to give
approximately 100% recovery when used as the oxidant with these
compounds. Therefore, an automated persulfate oxidation step following the
automated addition of the permanganate has been included to insure that
organo-mercury compounds, if present, will be oxidized to the mercuric ion
before measurement.

3.0 Sample Handling and Preservation

3.1 Until more conclusive data are obtained, samples should be preserved by
acidification with nitric acid to a pH of 2 or lower immediately at the time of
collection.") If only dissolved mercury is to be determined, the sample should
be filtered before the acid is added. For total mercury the filtration is omitted.

4.0 Interference (See NOTE 1)

 4.1 Some sea waters and waste-waters high in chlorides have shown a positive
interference, probably due to the formation of free chlorine.
4.2 Interference from certain volatile organic materials which will absorb at this
wavelength is also possible. A preliminary run under oxidizing conditions,
without stannous sulfate, would determine if this type of interference is
present.
4.3 Formation of a heavy precipitate, in some wastewaters and effluents, has been
reported upon addition of concentrated sulfuric acid. If this is encountered, the
problem sample cannot be analyzed by this method.
4.4 Samples containing solids must be blended and then mixed while being
sampled if total mercury values are to be reported.
NOTE 1: All the above interferences can be overcome by use of
theManual Mercury method in this manual.

5.0 Apparatus

5.1 Technicon Auto Analyzer consisting of:

5.1.1 Sampler II with provision for sample mixing.
5.1.2 Manifold.
5.1.3 Proportioning Pump II or III.
5.1.4 High temperature heating bath with two distillation coils (Technicon
Part # 116-0163) in series.
5.2 Vapor-liquid separator (Figure 1).
5.3 Absorption cell, 100 mm long, 10 mm diameter with quartz windows.
5.4 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (See Note 2): Any atomic absorption
unit having an open sample presentation area in which to mount the
absorption cell is suitable. Instrument settings recommended by the particular
manufacturer should be followed.
NOTE 2: Instruments designed specifically for the measurement of
mercury using the cold vapor technique are commercially
available and may be substituted for the atomic absorption
spectrophotometer.
5.5 Mercury Hollow Cathode Lamp: Westinghouse WL-22847, argon filled, or
equivalent.
5.6 Recorder: Any multi-range variable speed recorder that is compatible with the
UV detection system is suitable.
5.7 Source of cooling water for jacketed mixing coil and connector A-7.
5.8 Heat lamp: A small reading lamp with 60W bulb may be used to prevent
condensation of moisture inside the cell. The lamp is positioned to shine on
the absorption cell maintaining the air temperature in the cell about 10°C
above ambient.

6.0 Reagents

6.1 Sulfuric Acid, Conc: Reagent grade

6.1.1 Sulfuric acid, 2 N: Dilute 56 mL of conc. sulfuric acid to 1 liter with
distilled water.
6.1.2 Sulfuric acid, 10%: Dilute 100 mL conc. sulfuric acid to 1 liter with
distilled water.
 6.2 Nitric acid, Conc: Reagent grade of low mercury content.
6.2.1 Nitric Acid, 0.5% Wash Solution: Dilute 5 mL of conc. nitric acid to 1
liter with distilled water.
6.3 Stannous Sulfate: Add 50 g stannous sulfate to 500 mL of 2 N sulfuric acid
(6.1.1). This mixture is a suspension and should be stirred continuously during
use.
NOTE 3: Stannous chloride may be used in place of stannous sulfate.
6.4 Sodium Chloride-Hydroxylamine Sulfate Solution: Dissolve 30 g of sodium
chloride and 30 g of hydroxylamine sulfate in distilled water to 1 liter.
NOTE 4: Hydroxylamine hydrochloride may be used in place of
hydroxylamine sulfate.
6.5 Potassium Permanganate: 0.5% solution, w/v. Dissolve 5 g of potassium
permanganate in 1 liter of distilled water.
6.6 Potassium Permanganate, 0.1 N: Dissolve 3.16 g of potassium permanganate in
distilled water and dilute to 1 liter.
6.7 Potassium Persulfate: 0.5% solution, w/v. Dissolve 5 g potassium persulfate in
1 liter of distilled water.
6.8 Stock Mercury Solution: Dissolve 0.1354 g of mercuric chloride in 75 mL of
distilled water. Add 10 mL of conc. nitric acid and adjust the volume to 100.0
mL. 1.0 mL = 1.0 mg Hg.
6.9 Working Mercury Solution: Make successive dilutions of the stock mercury
solution (6.8) to obtain a working standard containing 0.1 Fg per mL. This
working standard and the dilutions of the stock mercury solution should be
prepared fresh daily. Acidity of the working standard should be maintained at
0.15% nitric acid. This acid should be added to the flask as needed before the
addition of the aliquot.
From this solution prepare standards containing O.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0,10.0, 15.0
and 20.0 Fg Hg/L. 6.10 Air Scrubber Solution: Mix equal volumes of 0.1 N
potassium permanganate (6.6) and 10% sulfuric acid (6.1.2).

7.0 Procedure

7.1 Set up manifold as shown in Figure 2.

7.2 Feeding all the reagents through the system with acid wash solution (6.2.1)
through the sample line, adjust heating bath to 105°C.
7.3 Turn on atomic absorption spectrophotometer, adjust instrument settings as
recommended by the manufacturer, align absorption cell in light path for
maximum transmittance and place heat lamp directly over absorption cell.
7.4 Arrange working mercury standards from 0.2 to 20.0 Fg Hg/L in sampler and
start sampling. Complete loading of sample tray with unknown samples.
7.5 Prepare standard curve by plotting peak height of processed standards against
concentration values. Determine concentration of samples by comparing
sample peak height with standard curve.
NOTE 5: Because of the toxic nature of mercury vapor, precaution must be
taken to avoid its inhalation. Venting the mercury vapor into an exhaust hood
or passing the vapor through some absorbing media such as:
a) equal volumes of 0.1 N KMnO4 (6.6) and lO% H2 SO4 (6.1.2).
b) 0.25% iodine in a 3% KI solution, is recommended.
A specially treated charcoal that will adsorb mercury vapor is also available
from Barnebey and Cheney, E. 8th Ave. and North Cassidy St., Columbus,
 Ohio 43219, Cat. #580-13 or #580-22.
7.6 After the analysis is complete put all lines except the H2SO4 line in distilled
water to wash out system. After flushing, wash out the H 2SO 4 line. Also flush
the coils in the high temperature heating bath by pumping stannous sulfate
(6.3) through the sample lines followed by distilled water. This will prevent
build-up of oxides of manganese.

8.0 Precision and Accuracy

8.1 In a single laboratory (SEWL), using distilled water standards at concentrations

of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, 10.0 and 20.0 Fg Hg/L, the standard deviations were ±0.04,
±0.07, ±0.09, ±0.20, ±0.40 and ±0.84 Fg/L, respectively.
8.2 In a single laboratory (SEWL), using surface water samples spiked with ten
organic mercurials at the 10 Fg/L level, recoveries ranged from 87 to 117%.
Recoveries of the same ten organic mercurials in distilled water at the 10 Fg/L
level, ranged from 92% to 125%

Bibliography

1. Wallace, R. A., Fulkerson, W., Shults, W. D., and Lyon, W. S., "Mercury in the
Environment-The Human Element", Oak Ridge National Laboratory, ORNL-NSF-EP-I,
p 31, (January, 1971).
2. Hatch, W. R. and Ott, W. L., "Determination of Sub-Microgram Quantities of Mercury
by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry", Anal. Chem. 40, 2085 (1968).
3. Brandenberger, H. and Bader, H., "The Determination of Nanogram Levels of Mercury
in Solution by a Flameless Atomic Absorption Technique", Atomic Absorption
Newsletter 6, 101 (1967).
4. Brandenberger, H. and Bader, H., "The Determination of Mercury by Flameless
Atomic Absorption II, A Static Vapor Method", Atomic Absorption Newsletter 7, 53
(1968).
5. Goulden, P. D. and Afghan, B. K., "An Automated Method for Determining Mercury
in Water", Technicon, Adv. in Auto. Anal. 2, p 317 (1970).