Determination of Mercury in Feathers

using a Direct Mercury Analyzer

Application field: Environmental

Application Note HG/EN-01

SUMMARY
Precise and rapid determination of total mercury in Feathers
can be performed using Direct Mercury Analyzer. Such an instrument
requires no sample wet chemistry or pretreatment. Once a
weighed sample portion is introduced into the instrument,
analysis is complete in five minutes. Direct analysis of
mercury, using the integrated sequence of Thermal
Decomposition, Catalyst Conversion, Amalgamation, and
Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, is described in EPA
7473 and is validated for laboratory as well as field analysis.

DMA-80 Mercury Analyzer

CALIBRATION
To calibrate the instrument, calibration working standards are freshly prepared from bulk solution or from an
NIST traceable bulk solution of 1,000 ppm (mg/Kg) Hg in 10% HCL or HNO3. Calibration working
standards are obtained by quantitative transfer and dilution of aliquots from the bulk solution with 10% acid.
More information in regards the calibration points are available in operator manual.
EXPERIMENT
The samples were submitted by a potential customer for instrument evaluation. The feathers were
introduced directly in to the metal boat. Nickel rod or chips may be used to keep the feathers in the boat
PROGRAM
Sample ID

Sample
Size*

Max START
Temperature

Feathers

5-10 mg

200C

Drying/Ashing Time
10 seconds
2 minutes
1 minute

Drying/Ashing
Temperature
200C
650C
650C

Purge
Time
60 sec

*: due to the organic content of the sample, the largest sample size should be analyzed by this instrument is 100 mg

RESULTS
Sample ID
Feathers

Hg
22 1 mg/kg

Expected Hg

27 mg/kg

Statistical data
rsd: 5.17 %

CONCLUSION
The DMA-80 Mercury Analyzer successfully processed the Feather sample. Total analysis time per
sample was approximately 5 minutes, including the time taken to weigh each sample into the boat.
The difference in the expected and measured results were due to losing some of the sample when placing
it inside of the instrument.

Application field: Environmental

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Rev. 08_08