Determination of mercury in tuna fish tissue using isotope dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract

Isotope dilution-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP/MS) was applied to determine mercury in living tissue. Microwave digestion method using HNO 3/H 2O 2 media for the dissolution of solid sample was studied. The procedure for accurate determination of total mercury in tuna fish tissue sample by ID-ICP/MS is described. For the method validation, total Hg concentration in tuna fish CRM (BCR CRM 463) was determined by ID-ICP/MS after addition of 202Hg to CRM followed by acid decomposition of the spiked sample. This method was applied to the determination of Hg in tuna fish CCQM-P39 sample provided by IRMM (Institute for Reference Materials and Measurement, GEEL, Belgium) for the international comparison study.