MERCURY ANALYSIS BY ATOMIC

ABSORPTION SPECTROMETER
determination of mercury in edible fish
 Objectives
Sample preparation
Reagents preparation
Determination of mercury by atomic absorption spectrometer
 HEAVY METAL
Heavy metal is inexact term used to define dozen of elements that are
metals or metalloids
Examples include chromium, arsenic, mercury, lead, and manganese
A metal of relatively high density and of high relative atomic weight
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MERCURY
Mercury or quicksilver, was known in ancient
times as hydrargyros, hence its chemical
symbol Hg
Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature and
pressure
Mercury is extremely rare element but occurs in deposits though
out the world mostly as cinnabar( or mercuric sulphide).
 MORE ABOUT MERCURY
Can evaporate and become airborne.
No break down
Circulates in and out of the atmosphere
Elemental metal or organic and inorganic compounds.
Falls to earth with precipitation or dust.
 SOURCES OF MERCURY
Non- ferrous metal manufacturing, mining.
Precious metal mining
Cement manufacturing
Chemical manufacturing
Fossil fuel power plants
Sewage
fumes of cars, buses and motorbikes.
 ATOMIC ABSORPTION
SPECTROMETER
AAS is an analytical technique.
AAS can measures down to parts per billion of a gram in a sample.
uses of a wavelengths of light specifically absorbed by an element.
uses absorption of optical radiation by free atoms for determining the
content of different elements.
Based on the principle that when a beam of electromagnetic radiation is
passed through a substance it may either absorbed or transmitted.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS

Mercury analysis consist four main sections

Sample preparation
Sample digestion
Reagents preparation
Mercury analysis
 SAMPLE
PREPARATION
Frozen fishes was thawed and dissected using different
instruments.
The edible portion was taken out .
sample of 2-5g were used.
The samples were places on plate with 30ml
concentrated nitric acid.
Samples were digested using 10ml nitric acid in 3
durations this process took many hours to complete.
The temperature of hot plate was at 100 degree Celsius
The solution was made to known volume with distilled
water and analyzed for hg using atomic absorption
spectrometer.
REAGENTS
Deionizes water
HCL
Carrier solution 3% HCL
Reductant solution NaoOH2%,
NaBH4 0.05%
Stabilizing solution 5% (KMNO4)
Standard mercury solution
PREPARATION OF REAGENTS
1.Reductant solution;
I. sodium hydroxide 0.5%
II. sodium borohydride 2.0%
III. Distilled water 1000ml
Stir for 20 minutes.

2. Carrier solution 3%
IV. HCL 30ml
V. Distilled water 1000ml

3.Stabilizing solution 5%
VI. potassium permanganate 5.0g
VII. doubly distilled water 100ml

4.Mercury standard solution

VIII. Hg as hg(No3)
 AAS CONDITIONS FOR HG
Wavelength: 253.7nm
Slit: 0.7 nm
Relative noise: 1.0
Characteristic concentration (mg/l): 4.2
Characteristic concentration check (mg/l): 200.0
Linear range : (mg/l) 300.0
Recommended flame : air-acetylene
RESULTS
Saurida tumbil (greater lizard fish)
Johnius borneensis (sharpoose hammer croakes)
Johnius elongates (spindle croacker)
Mureanesox bagio ( pike conger)
Otolithus cuvier (lesser tigertooth croaker)
Lutajanus lutajanus (big eye snapper)
Pricanthus hamrus (moontail bullseye)
Terapon jarbua (jarbua terapoa)
Epinephulus dicanthus (spinycheek groups)
 FISH SAMPLE#1
SAURIDA TUMBIL
Derived from Greek sauros; lizard
Actinopterygii (ray finned fishes)
Is most common in northern part of Persian gulf
Marine reef associated specie
Found on muddy bottoms and trawling grounds
Feed on fishes, crustaceans', squids,
Sold fresh
Indo west pacific, red sea, east coast of Africa including Madagascar to
the Persian gulf .
 FISH SAMPLE#2
JOHNIUS BORNEENSIS
Actinopterygii , (ray finned fishes) perciforms(perch like).
Marine, fresh water bathypelagic
Indo-west pacific, Persian gulf eastward to southern china and Taiwan and
northern and north eastern Australia and new guinea
inhibits shallow coastal waters, estuaries and rivers in India.
Local name bhora
Juvenile prefer crustaceans
Marketed fresh and salted
 FISH SAMPLE #3
JOHNIUS ELONGATES
Actinopterygii (ray finned fishes) perciforms perch like
Marine and demersal
Western Indian ocean, west coast of India and Sri lanka
Occur in coastal waters
Feed on benthic worms and crustaceans.
Marketed fresh and sold dried and salted
 FISH SAMPLE#4
MUREAENESOX BAGIO
Actinopterygii ray finned fishesperciforms perch like
Latin muraena: moray eel + esox old name for pike
Marine , demersal ,brackish
Indo west pacific, east Africa to the Philippines and japan, south to new
guinea, the arafura sea, Australia and Fiji.
Found on coastal waters including estuaries sublittoral above 100m
Feeds on benthic fishes and crustaceans.
Marketed mainly fresh
 FISH SAMPLE #5
OTOLITHUS CUVIER
Local name mushka
Actinopterygii ray finned fishes
Otolithus; greek ous, oto=ear + Greek lithos= stone
Maine bentho pelagic and tropical,
Western Indian ocean of India and Pakistan.
Inhibits inshore and coastal waters
Carnivores feeders.
Feed on sea prawns, crustaceans, mollusks, isopods, copepods
 FISH SAMPLE #6
LUTAJANUS LUTAJANUS
Actinopterygii ray finned fishes
Lutajanus, Malay, ikan, lutajan, name of a fish.
Marine, bathydemersal
Indo west pacific. East Africa to the Solomon islands north to south japan,
south to Australia
Adults inhibits offshore coral reefs and trawling grounds
 FISH SAMPLE#7
PRICANTHUS HAMRUS
Actinopterygii ray finned fishes
Greek name prion = saw Greek akantha= thorn
Marine reef associated
Indo pacific, red sea ,southern Africa to French Polynesia. North to south
japan.
Uncommon species found in outer reef slopes and lagoon.
Feeds on small fishes, crustaceans and other small invertebrates
Marketed fresh , may be salted and dries
 FISH SAMPLE#8
TERAPON JARBUA
Actinoptreygii ray finned fishes
Marine , fresh water, brackish
Indo west pacific, red sea and east Africa to Samoa, north to southern
japan
Found on shallow sandy bottoms, in the vicinity of river mouth.
Enter estuaries and rivers .
Omnivorous , feeds on fishes, insects, algae, and sand-dwelling
invertebrates
 FISH SAMPLE#9
EPINEPHEULS DICANTHUS
Actinopterygii ray finned fishes
Epinephelus Greek =, epinephelus; cloudy
Marine, demersal.
Indian ocean
Found on muddy sand or mud substrata