Abstract

The determination of inorganic mercury species in water, beverages and foods has been a special research priority in recent years because mercury, as a highly carcinogenic species, even in trace concentration, has high adverse effects on the body of living organisms. In this research, combining two extraction techniques, including microwave-assisted cloud point extraction and dispersive-solid phase extraction (MA-CP-dSPE), for the separation and pre-concentration of mercury in environmental samples is presented. This method is based on the dispersion of nanoparticles in micellar media in the presence of a novel mono-thiosemicarbazone Schiff base (2 N & PRIME;-4-diphenylaminobenzylidene) hydrazinecarbothiohydrazide) ligand. Using the experimental conditions defined in the optimization, the method allowed mercury determination from 0.020 to 350 mg/L with a detection limit of 0.005 mg/L. The accuracy of the procedure was tested by analysing certified reference material. The method was successfully applied to copper determination in spring water, beverage and rice samples.