MODIFIED METHOD FOR THDETERMINATION OF MERCURY II BY ADOPTING PORPHYRIN COMPLEX

Abstract

A new method was adopted for the determination of mercury ions in water samples after complexation between mercury and TPP (meso-tetraphenylporphin). Water samples were investigated in the presence of mercury, 3 samples along Shatt Al-Arab River close to discharging point of waste from Basrah paper factory as follows; 1) 5 km north to discharging point, 2) discharging point it self and 3) 5 km from the discharging point towards the south as well as station 4) Karmatt Ali as a control. Mercury was determined spectrophotometricaly after the formation of the complex Hg-TPP at wave length of 440 nm. It was found that mercury concentration was 0.0492 mg.l-1 in the discharging point from basrah paper factory to shatt Al-Arab River compared to undetectable in all other sites. The method is reliable with sensitivity of 0.0134 gm.cm.l-1 , accuracy of 9 × 10-6, standard deviation of 0.00317 and detection limit of 0.75 × 10-7.