Determination of low-level mercury by cold vapor generation and atomic absorption spectroscopy

A procedure for determining mercury in liquid samples by cold vapor flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy was developed. The optimum parameter values were determined and mercury standard storage conditions investigated. The effect and tolerance levels of twenty-seven ions, including those ions common to Tank Farm Operations and the Synthetic Wastes, were measured. Standard deviation for the procedure is less than 1%. The procedure can be used to determine mercury at the part per billion level in any liquid sample, a thousand-fold increase in sensitivity over current flame techniques