Rapid food decomposition by H2O2-H2SO4 for determination of total mercury by flow injection cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry

J AOAC Int. 2002 Jan-Feb;85(1):149-52.

Abstract

A mixture of 50% H2O2-H2SO4 (3 + 1, v/v) was used for decomposition of food in open vessels at 80 degrees C. The treatment allowed rapid total mercury determination by flow injection cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. Cabbage, potatoes, peanuts paste, hazelnuts paste, oats, tomatoes and their derivatives, oysters, shrimps, prawns, shellfish, marine algae, and many kinds of fish were analyzed by the proposed methodology with a limit of quantitation of 0.86 +/- 0.08 microg/L mercury in the final solution. Reference materials tested also gave excellent recovery.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Citrus / chemistry
  • Edible Grain / chemistry
  • Fishes / metabolism
  • Flow Injection Analysis
  • Food Analysis / methods*
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Meat / analysis
  • Mercury / analysis*
  • Milk / chemistry
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Reference Standards
  • Shellfish / analysis
  • Solutions
  • Spectrophotometry, Atomic
  • Sulfuric Acids
  • Vegetables / chemistry

Substances

  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Solutions
  • Sulfuric Acids
  • Hydrogen Peroxide
  • Mercury