Metals and other elements. Wet oxidation method for the determination of submicrogram quantities of mercury in cereal grains
Malaiyandi, M.; Barrette, J.P.
Journal - Association of Official Analytical Chemists 55(5): 951-959
1972
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-5756 PMID: 5071874 Document Number: 55245
A simple and rapid wet-digestion procedure is described in which flour samples containing bound and unbound mercury are decomposed, using a sulfuric-nitric acid mixture in the presence of small amounts of vanadium pentoxide. Fortification studies with 3 organomercuric compounds on mixed cereal flour indicate average recoveries in excess of 96% in the 20–500 ppb range. This wet digestion method is compared with the Klein procedure to illustrate the advantages and significance of the vanadium pentoxide oxidation.