Mercury and Antimony Troubleshooting

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• Measurement and Results
• Mercury and Antimony Troubleshooting

The determination of Hg using ICP-MS is very tricky from a sample preparation perspective as well as the measurement perspective. Losses are often found due to both volatilization as well as adsorption to the container walls. Standard preparations of Hg in dilute nitric acid using plastic containers are not stable long enough to obtain reliable data and the washout times are long. If your FIMS approach is working, I do not suggest that you switch. If you are required to switch to ICP-MS, then contact me for further details on sample preparation and measurement.

Sb is a contaminant in some plastics. I would suggest that you perform a leaching study on the plastics involved in your analytical scheme to identify the source. Typically, ppb preparations of Sb in dilute nitric acid and LDPE containers are stable for months. We do provide isotopic standards for ICP-MS on a Custom Basis. Let us know the specifics and we'd be happy to provide you with a quotation.

Thank you for your questions. Please let me know if I can be of further help.

Serving you in chemistry,
Paul R. Gaines, Ph.D.
CEO of Inorganic Ventures

DISCLAIMER: Advice offered by the chemists at Inorganic Ventures is intended for the individual posing the question.