Journal
BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
Volume 94, Issue 5, Pages 570-576Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s00128-015-1521-9
Keywords
Sample preparation; Drying procedures; Microbial activity; Freeze-drying; Contamination
Categories
Funding
- Czech Science Foundation GACR [526/09/P404, P210/11/1369]
- Institute of Geology of ASCR [RVO 67958531]
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Methods commonly used for soil sample preparation may be unsuitable for measuring Hg concentrations due to the possible loss of volatile Hg species when drying at higher temperatures. Here, the effects of freeze-drying, air drying at 25A degrees C and oven-drying at 105A degrees C on Hg concentrations in two soil types and three standard reference materials were tested. Two soils with different levels of Hg contamination and three reference materials were examined. A systematic decrease of Hg concentrations was observed in air-dried (24 %) and oven-dried (3 %) contaminated upland soils in comparison to freeze-dried control samples. The 105A degrees C oven drying also led to loss of Hg from reference materials (5 %-8 % in comparison with the certified Hg concentration). Different results from the drying of sterilized reference materials and natural soils were probably related to the extent of microbiological activity, demonstrating the importance of this parameter in sample preparation for Hg analysis.
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