Abstract
Methods commonly used for soil sample preparation may be unsuitable for measuring Hg concentrations due to the possible loss of volatile Hg species when drying at higher temperatures. Here, the effects of freeze-drying, air drying at 25°C and oven-drying at 105°C on Hg concentrations in two soil types and three standard reference materials were tested. Two soils with different levels of Hg contamination and three reference materials were examined. A systematic decrease of Hg concentrations was observed in air-dried (24 %) and oven-dried (3 %) contaminated upland soils in comparison to freeze-dried control samples. The 105°C oven drying also led to loss of Hg from reference materials (5 %-8 % in comparison with the certified Hg concentration). Different results from the drying of sterilized reference materials and natural soils were probably related to the extent of microbiological activity, demonstrating the importance of this parameter in sample preparation for Hg analysis.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
