Hg in multi elements

Hg is an element always avoided in multi elements for stability purposes. I try to understand why…….can you please bring some light into the problem.

In nitric acid media Hg adsorbs onto plastic – this is the main difficulty. We have been studying this issue and are finding that we loose about the same absolute amount of Hg i.e. if you have a 10 ppb Hg all of the Hg is lost- for 1+ ppm Hg solutions there is about 1ppm lost and then no more i.e. a 100 becomes 99 and a 10 becomes 9 and a 1 becomes 0 etc... We work with Hg in blends using an HCl matrix. We have had good results using this approach. If the Mass Specers can’t tolerate HCl we use a 1 ppm Au (Cl)x in nitrix acid to stabilize ppb Hg levels –this was published first by the EPA and works very well –amonut of signal from ARCl on As is greatly reduced.

Serving you in chemistry,
 

Paul R. Gaines, Ph.D.
CEO of Inorganic Ventures & Fellow Chemist

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