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Loss of Mercury(II) from Solution¹

ABSTRACT

Loss of mercury(II) from dilute solutions was studied using ²⁰³Hg(II) as a tracer. Magnitude and rate of loss depend on Hg(II) concentration, chemical composition of carrier solutions, and container material. Losses were severe only at Hg(II) concentrations of 10^–6M (0.2 ppm) or lower. Of the Hg-containing solutions studied, loss was greatest from 0.01M CaCl₂; Hg(II) was stable at all levels in concentrated HNO₃. Increasing pH from 4 to 8 appeared to reduce Hg loss. Adding KMnO₄ also reduced losses. Glass and plastic containers differ in their ability to retain Hg(II) in solution. The problem of Hg loss has serious implications in analyses of Hg as an environmental contaminant and in research where low concentrations of Hg are used.

Key Words: inorganic Hg • Hg loss • Hg vaporization

¹ Contribution from Department of Agronomy, Kansas Agr. Exp. Sta. No. 1326. Contribution No. 115, Kansas Water Resources Research Institute, Manhattan. The U. S. Department of Interior, Office of Water Resources Research provided partial support (B-027-KAN).

² Postdoctoral Fellow and Professor, respectively, Department of Agronomy, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan 66506.

Received for publication February 2, 1973.