ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 35, Number 4
JKCSEZ 35(4)
August 20, 1991 

The separative preconcentration of trace mercury[Hg(Ⅱ)] in a water sample was studied by a coprecipitation flotation technique. The trace Hg(Ⅱ) was precipitated together with Ce(OH)3 by adding 3.0 ml of 0.1M Ce3+ solution to 1,000 ml of water sample and adjusting pH to 11.0 with 1.0M NaOH solution. The hydrophobic precipitate[Ce(OH)3-Hg(OH)2], which was formed by adding 2.0 ml of 0.1% ethanolic sodium oleate solution, were floated on the surface with an aid of tiny nitrogen gas bubbles. The floated materials were quatitatively collected in a suction flask and dissolved with 5.0 ml of 2.0M HNO3. The solution was marked to 25.00 ml with a deionized water. The content of Hg(Ⅱ) was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Any interferences of concomitants such as Ag+, Br-, I-, etc. were not observed on the whole procedure. The analytical result showed that Hg(Ⅱ) found in the wastewater of Seochang Campus, Korea University was 1.98 ng/ml with the relative standard deviation of 3.6%. And recoveries of Hg(Ⅱ) in the wastewater into which 1.0 ng/ml and 2.0 ng/ml were added were 95% and 91%, respectively. From such results, this procedure could be concluded to be tolerably accurate and reproducible for the determination of trace mercury in a water sample.