Preconcentration, separation and determination of trace Hg(II) in environmental samples with aminopropylbenzoylazo-2-mercaptobenzothiazole bonded to silica gel

This paper reports a simple and highly selective method for the preconcentration and separation of trace Hg(II) with aminopropylbenzoylazo-2-mercaptobenzothiazole bonded to silica gel (ABMBT.SG). ABMBT.SG was tested for the selective extraction of Hg(II) and it showed an exchange capacity of 41.4 mu mol g(-1). After preconcentration and separation using an ABMBT.SG column, trace Hg(II) in environmental samples can be determined by UV-VIS spectrophotometry. The chromatographic column packed with ABMBT.SG can be reused. The method is simple and efficient, and is applied to polluted soil (2 mu g g(-1)), incinerated biological material (9 or 18 ng g(-1)) and spiked natural water (5 mu g l(-1)). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.