Project: FAAS
Introduction
The Perkin Elmer FIMS 100 is a flow injection mercury system designed specifically for ppb-level mercury analysis. It reduces mercury the sample using SnCl$_2$ in order to voltalize the mercury in the sample. Once volatalized, the sample is introduced to a stream of inert gas, which carries it into an absorption cell. A mercuy lamp emitting at 254 nm is used to probe the mercury in the sample, which absorbs light at the same wavelength. The data can then be interpreted quantitatively according to Beer’s Law.
The general procedure for this lab is to: (1) grind and dissolve a sample in HCl, (2) prepare standards, blanks, and QCs, (3) run the standards, blank, and QC, and (4) run the samples.
For FIMS, the definitions of “passing” are:
- Blank: Flat, smooth baseline showing only random noise and/or instrument drift no greater than a few percent over 15 minutes.
- Standard Curve: A linear line with $R^2 \ge 0.9990$.
- QC: A measured concentration within 10% ($\pm$ 10%) of the known concentration.
This is a quantitative analysis.
Safety {-}
- Mercury is toxic! Wear gloves and goggles when working with.
- Mercury is volatile. Work in a fume hood.
- Although samples are over-the-counter products, you should avoid ingesting and/or contacting them with your skin.amples are over-the-counter products, you should avoid ingesting and/or contacting them with your skin.