HPLC-ICP-MS Method

Aim: Using HPLC-ICP-MS coupling for mercury speciation that determined it was mercury poisoning.


Sample preparation:


For fish

• Collect 10-20  grams of the edible portion, 
• Place it in polyethylene bags, 
• Store it in a freezer. 
• When collecting fish samples, record the sampling date, location, species, and ages. Also measure the weight and length and the like. 

For shellfish,

• Divide the muscle, digestive tract contents, and adductor muscle 
• Place the portions in polyethylene bags
• Store in a freezer. 
• Since particles of bottom sediment are often contained in the digestive tracts of shellfish, remove these particles before storage. 

• The biological tissue samples are then extracted into a mixture of L-cysteine and 2-mercaptoethanol by microwave digestion. 
• Mercury compounds are separated on a C8-column using the same mixture of L-cysteine and 2-mercaptoethanol.

The HPLC methodology allowed for the separation of MeHg+and inorganic Hg2+ standards.

Quantification of MeHg+and Hg2+species in several samples was achieved using the external calibration curves