Modified MSIS chamber as a novel gas-liquid separator coupled with the photochemical vapor generation of trace mercury with MP-AES detection

New hyphenation of a continuous flow photochemical vapor generator (PVG) to a modified multimode sample introduction system (MSIS) used as a gas-liquid separator and microwave plasma atomic emission spectrometry (MP-AES) was proposed for the analysis of trace mercury. The widened MSIS bottom inlet contributes to an increase in Hg0 mass transfer in the gas-liquid separator, allowing mercury determination by MP-AES. After optimizing the PVG reactor conditions and MP-AES instrument parameters, a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.25 ppb was obtained for Hg2+. The applicability of the PVG-MSIS-MP-AES method was subsequently demonstrated for trace mercury analysis in two soil CRMs - ERM-CC135a (Contaminated Brickworks soil) and CRM005 (Sewage Amended soil). A modified MSIS chamber operating with high sample flow rates was used as a novel gas-liquid separator in the MP-AES detection of trace mercury after photochemical vapor generation.

Automated summary

A new method combining a continuous flow photochemical vapor generator (PVG) with a modified multimode sample introduction system (MSIS) is proposed for trace mercury analysis. After optimization, a low detection limit can be achieved, and the method is applicable to mercury analysis in different samples.