• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2000

A rapid preconcentration method was developed for the speciation of the trace mercury compounds in water sample. The mercury compounds were extracted and preconcentrated simply as their dithizone complexes by passing through the dithizone impregnated ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) membrane solvent inlet filter following sanification in methanol solvent. The concentrated dithizonates were separated by liquid chromatography on a $C_{18}$ column. Complete resolution was obtained between methyl-, ethyl-, phenyl-, and inorganic mercury with a mobile phase of 0.05 M acetate buffer (pH=4)/THF/methanol(3:5:2). The separnted mercury chelates were detected by spectrophotometrically at 475 nm. The proposed method was successfully applied to the speciation of mercury compounds in waste water with detection limit at the subnanogram/mL level.