GFAAS determination of mercury in muscle samples of fish from Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

In the present study, a simple, rapid and sensitive method was developed for the determination of mercury concentrations in the muscle tissue of fish from the Brazilian Amazon using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) following acid mineralization of the samples in an ultrasonic cold water bath. Using copper nitrate as a chemical modifier in solution and sodium tungstate as permanent modifier, we were able to attain thermal stabilization of the mercury up to the atomisation temperature of 1600 °C in the GFAAS assay. The calculated limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.014 and 0.047 mg kg(-1), respectively.

Total Mercury Determination in Muscle and Liver Tissue Samples from Brazilian Amazon Fish Using Slurry Sampling

“…However, the mercury concentrations in liver tissue samples are above the value recommended by the WHO and are approximately ten times higher than the concentrations determined for muscle tissue samples. These results are in agreement with other works in the literature, which highlight a greater accumulation of toxic metals (such as mercury) in fish liver than in fish muscle [2,3,16]. The method's accuracy was evaluated by mercury determination in certified reference materials DORM-4 (fish muscle protein) and DOLT-4 (liver of fish).…”

“…It can be observed that the values of mercury concentrations, as presented in relation to the muscular and hepatic tissue samples of Amazon fish (Table 2), are all above the determined LOQ for the proposed method, thus indicating the viability of the slurry sampling method for mercury determination in fish tissue samples. The results obtained by the proposed method were checked with results that used samples mineralized in an ultrasonic water bath, according to the procedure described by Moraes et al [16]. The results are also listed in Table 2 and show no significant difference at a 95% confidence level (paired t test).…”

“…Then, one part of the lyophilized and ground tissue was used for the slurry samples preparation, and the other part was mineralized in an ultrasonic cold-water bath, according to the procedure described by Moraes et al [16].…”

Metodologías analíticas utilizadas actualmente para la determinación de mercurio en músculo de pescado

“…Varios estudios en la literatura describen métodos para la determinación de las concentraciones de especies de mercurio al utilizar técnicas de espectrometría atómicas (Moraes et al, 2013).…”

“…Esta pérdida de analito puede prevenirse con el uso de modificadores químicos estabilizadores del mercurio antes de la atomización. Varios tipos de modificadores químicos para la determinación de las concentraciones de mercurio han sido reportados en la literatura (Moraes et al, 2013).…”