Catalytic method for the determination of trace amounts of mercury in environmental samples

Abstract

A catalytic method based on the abstraction of CN^– from hexacyanoferrate(II) by mercury(II) in the presence of 4-(2′-thiazolylazo) resacetophenone oxime was studied spectrophotometrically. The method allows the determination of mercury(II) in the range 0.01–0.9 ppm at a wavelength of 420 nm. The method was applied to the determination of methyl- and ethylmercury chloride and the analysis of environmental water samples.