The Chromatographic Concentration of Mercury in Sea Water with 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole Supported on Silica Gel

Abstract

Abstract A solid chelating material, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole supported on silica gel (MBT-SG), was prepared and used for the preconcentration of inorganic and organic mercury compounds from a sea-water sample. The chelating capacity of the material was 12 μeq. Hg/g. The mercury (II) ion, the methylmercury ion, and the ethylmercury ion were quantitatively retained on the MBT-SG at pH values of 1.0, 5.0, and 4.0 respectively from an aqueous solution, and at pH values of 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0 respectively from a sea-water. A column packed with the material provided a quantitative recovery of these ions from a sea-water sample at a high flow rate (1–3 1 h−1). Mercury was eluted by the use of a acetone–hydrochloric acid mixture (25: 1) or a 1% thiourea solution in 0.1 mol dm−3hydrochloric acid. The latter effluent was submitted atomic-absorption spectrometry after reductive vaporization for the determination of mercury.