Determination of Mercury in Istanbul Airborne Particles Using Solid Sampling High-Resolution Continuum Source Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

A method for the determination of mercury in airborne particles by solid sampling high-resolution continuum source graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry is reported. Fine urban airborne particles were collected every month on quartz filters using a high-volume sampler (500 L/min) in Istanbul, Turkey. The filters loaded with airborne particles were directly introduced into the graphite furnace so that analyte losses during digestion were eliminated. Moreover, to prevent analyte losses in the furnace, no pyrolysis step was taken and silver and gold nanoparticles were used as novel modifiers. The effects of graphite furnace program, pyrolysis and atomization temperature, and mass of sample introduced into the furnace were characterized. The limits of detection in the absence of any modifier, in the presence of silver nanoparticles, and in the presence of gold nanoparticles were 0.52, 0.38, and 0.19 µg/L, respectively. The mercury concentrations in the air particulates were between 0.74 ± 0.10 and 3.65 ± 0.33 µg/L.