CEST2025

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic heavy metal that poses a significant threat to human health and the environment. Accurate and reliable methods for Hg determination are crucial for environmental monitoring and risk assessment as well as mineral exploration applications. This study aimed to establish the optimal conditions for microwave-acid digestion of mineral ore samples and to compare the performance of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS) in Hg quantification. The optimization of the microwave-acid digestion procedure was carried out by varying digestion temperature (from 120°C to 200°C) and digestion time (e.g., from 15 min to 60 min). Mineral ore CRMs with different Hg levels were employed to evaluate the effectiveness of the methods applied. The results obtained from the two analytical techniques were compared in terms of accuracy, precision, and sensitivity. The influence of digestion temperature and time on Hg recovery was also assessed. The findings of this study provide valuable information for the development of robust analytical protocols for Hg determination in various geological matrices. The optimized microwave-acid digestion procedure offers a rapid and efficient approach for sample preparation, while the comparison of ICP-MS and CVAAS highlights the advantages and limitations of each technique. The use of CRMs ensures the accuracy and reliability of the analytical results.