Determination of Mercury in Fish: A Low-Cost Implementation of Cold-Vapor Atomic Absorbance for the Undergraduate Environmental Chemistry Laboratory

Mercury is a known neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to children and unborn fetuses. Consumption of contaminated fish is one major route of mercury exposure. This laboratory experiment gives students an opportunity to measure mercury concentrations in store-bought seafood and compare the resul...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical education 2013-04, Vol.90 (4), p.487-489
Main Authors: Niece, Brian K, Hauri, James F
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Absorbance
Animals
Atomic beam spectroscopy
Bioaccumulation
Chemistry
Children
Children & youth
College Science
Data analysis
Environmental chemistry
Environmental Education
Environmental protection
Exposure
Exposure limits
Fetuses
Fish
Food
Ichthyology
Laboratory Experiments
Marine Biology
Mercury
Mercury (metal)
Neurotoxins
Organic chemistry
Pollution
Regulatory agencies
Science Experiments
Science Instruction
Science Laboratories
Seafood
Spectroscopy
Students
Supermarkets
Swordfish
Toxicology
Toxins
Undergraduate Study
Vapors
Water pollution effects
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Summary:Mercury is a known neurotoxin that is particularly harmful to children and unborn fetuses. Consumption of contaminated fish is one major route of mercury exposure. This laboratory experiment gives students an opportunity to measure mercury concentrations in store-bought seafood and compare the results to suggested exposure limits. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommended method for determination of mercury concentrations is cold-vapor atomic spectroscopy. We propose a method of adapting an existing flame atomic absorbance spectrometer for this technique with little additional cost, thus allowing students to learn about this important technique. Students measured mercury concentrations in swordfish and tuna purchased at a local supermarket. Mercury levels in both fish were within the range found by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Students gained experience with sample digestion, cold-vapor analysis, and data analysis.
ISSN:0021-9584
1938-1328
DOI:10.1021/ed300471w