• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.288-294
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• 2011

BACKGROUND: Methylmercury is analyzed by HPLC-ICP/MS because of the simplicity for sample preparation and interference. However, most of the pre-treatment methods for methylmercury need a further pH adjustment of the extracted solution and removal of organic matter for HPLC. The purpose of this study was to establish a rapid and accurate analytical method for determination of methylmercury in fish by using HPLC-ICP/MS. METHOD AND RESULTS: We conducted an experiment for pre-treatment and instrument conditions and analytical method verification. Pre-treatment condition was established with aqueous 1% L-cysteine HCl and heated at $60^{\circ}C$ in microwave for 20 min. Methylmercury in $50{\mu}L$ of filtered extract was separated by a C18 column and aqueous 0.1% L-cysteine HCl + 0.1% L-cysteine mobile phase at $25^{\circ}C$. The presence of cysteine in mobile phase and sample solution was essential to eliminate adsorption, peak tailing and memory effect problems. Correlation coefficient($r^2$) for the linearity was 0.9998. The limits of detection and quantitation for this method were 0.15 and $0.45{\mu}g/kg$ respectively. CONCLUSION: Result for analytical method verification, accuracy and repeatability of the analytes were in good agreement with the certified reference materials values of methylmercury at a 95% confidence level. The advantage of the established method is that the extracted solution can be directly injected into the HPLC column without additional processes and the memory effect of mercury in the ICP-MS can be eliminated.