ISSN: 0970-020 X

ORIENTAL JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY CODEN: OJCHEG

An International Open Access, Peer Reviewed Research Journal
2019, Vol. 35, No.(6):
Pg. 1718-1721
www.orientjchem.org

Brief Communication

Estimation of Mercury in Soil, Water and Plants Spectrophotometrically

Shawnam Omar Abdullah1*, Qasim Yahya Mohammed2 and Sarmad Raheem Kareem3

1,3
School of Medicine, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region – F.R. Iraq.
2
Erbil Polytechnic University–Koya Technical Institute–Petroleum Technology,
Department-Kurdistan Tegion, Iraq.
*Corresponding author E-Mail: [email protected]

http://dx.doi.org/10.13005/ojc/350613

(Received: August 03, 2019; Accepted: December 04, 2019)

Abstract

Trace levels of mercury in soil, environmental water (portable and polluted) and plant
specimens (cucumber and pepper) at Koya area–Kurdistan region–Iraq was described by simple
procedure, where, no further solvent purification or pre-concentration required steps. The method
based on soxhelt extraction with oxalic acid and stannous chloride in acidic media for about 2.5 h,
followed by spectrophotometric measurement at λmax of 300 nm. The results show different mercury
levels, water samples show (3-215) ppm, while soil samples (5 -150) ppm. Also, some agricultural
products show (23 -80) ppm mercury level.

Keywords: Soxhlet, Mercury, Spectrophotometer.

Introduction mercury in this field are , paper, cellulose and plastic

industries, paint, pharmaceutical industries and
Mercury is one of the most toxic elements pesticides4,5.
and is associated with many health problems,
include, instantaneous neurological damages Also, mercury assumes to be the most
particularly irritability, paralysis, insanity, blindness, dangerous of all contaminants which may be
chromosome damage and birth defects1. consumed in our daily foods like fish, cereals
and other foodstuffs have resulted in numerous
It is found in different forms, as elemental
poisoning6.
mercury vapor in atmosphere, although, as organic
and inorganic form. The main natural sources
The most common methods for measuring
of mercury are volcanoes, forest fires and the
weathering of mercury-bearing rocks 2. Anyhow, total mercury include absorption spectrometry,
industry produces huge amounts of mercury3. neutron activation analysis, and cold vapor atomic
absorption spectrometry7,8 and colorimetric solvent
The most important common sources of extractive method9.

This is an Open Access article licensed under a Creative Commons license: Attribution 4.0 International (CC- BY).
Published by Oriental Scientific Publishing Company © 2018
 Abdullah, Mohammed., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 35(6), 1718-1721 (2019) 1719

The goal of this study was to evaluate the step, because of some mercury specifications. The
mercury content in soil, water and plant samples accuracy of results depends on the efficiency of
at Koya area–Kurdistan region–Iraq, by simple extraction and digestion processes11,12. Where, the
soxhelt extraction, and then, spectrophotometric incomplete of ineffective extraction, loss of mercury
measurement. vapor and faulty mercury oxidation–reduction
reaction may influence in descend the accuracy of
Experimental process. The optimum period for soxhlet extraction
was 2.5 h, as shown in Figure 1.
Apparatus
A CECIL (CE7200) double beam UV-Visible Absorption spectra
spectrophotometer was used for measurements of For absorption measurements, a set of
absorbance. mercury standard solutions prepared, absorbance
was measured at λmax of 300 nm. And then, calibration
Reagents and solutions graph with absorbance versus concentration
- A series of standard solutions (1, 5, 20, plotted13. The concentration of unknown samples
25,100,180, and 200) ppm of Mercury (II) was directly obtained from this graph, as shown in
chloride (Romil, 99%) prepared to construct Figures 1 and 2.
standard graph.
- 0.1 M HCl (Scharlau, 37%) solution.
- Oxalic acid (Fluka, 99.8%) 4% solution.
- Stannous chloride (Fluka, 95%) 2% solution.
- λmax was determined using stock solution and
the results show of maximum absorbance at
300 nm.

Procedure
2 gram of tested sample weighed to the Fig. 1. Effect of time on absorbance
soxhlet extraction apparatus, 50 mL of oxalic acid
solution, 50 mL stannous chloride solution and 10 mL
of HCl solution added. The mixture refluxed for about
2.5 h (filter if need), after that the contents diluted to
250 mL distilled water. From the final solution, 5 mL
diluted to 25 mL with distilled water.

Absorbance measured at 300 nm against

a corresponding reagent blank and mercury content
of unknown samples was determined using a Fig. 2. Determination of λmax
concurrently prepared calibration graph.

results and Discussion

Mercury content in soil, agricultural

products and water sample is convenient to geologist
exploring and metals accumulation inspection10.

The optimize operation conditions to get an

Fig. 3. Calibration graph.
effective extraction and obtain maximum absorbance
have been investigated. Effect of acidity
Using of hydrochloric acid for digestion of
Sample digestion samples was found to be the most suitable acidic
The pretreatment step in quantitative media for determining of mercury in all samples
determination of total mercury is an exceptive under study.
 Abdullah, Mohammed., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 35(6), 1718-1721 (2019) 1720

The optimum acidity range for all consecutive Table 2: Mercury content in some soil samples
measurements 10 mL of 0.1M HCl was used, as in No. Soil Samples Hg (ppm)
Figure 4. 1 Direct waste 150
2 Direct surface (0 m distance) 147
Effect of extraction environment 3 Surface Fossa Soil (1-2 m distance) 143
The oxidizing environment bring into 4 South west (1Km distance) 124
5 Ground {Kelaspi} (3Km distance) 78
existence by addition of oxalic acid at the time of
6 Auto industry 78
extraction. Mercury exists as Hg (II) in the acid 7 West (1Km distance) 68
digestion solution was reduced to its elemental 8 East (1Km distance) 28
form with SnCl2. Hence, SnCl2 is a convenient 9 South (1Km distance) 25
mercury reductant 14, according to the results, 10 North (1Km distance) 24
as in Figure 5. 11 Well Soil (3Km distance) 20
12 Farming place at Tobzawa 5
13 Oxidizer 53

Table 3: Mercury content in some water samples

No. Water Samples Hg (ppm)

1 Fossa`s water 215

2 Lake (1Km distance) 200
3 Tobzawa 25
4 Chicken poultry (2Km East distance) 21
Fig. 4. Effect of acidity on absorbance 5 Chicken poultry (2Km South distance) 19
6 Kelaspy Well (3Km distance) 3

Table 4: Mercury content of some

agricultural products
No. Plant Sample Hg (ppm)

1 Cucumber 80
2 Pepper 23

environment (soil, water and plants) the area near

the semi factory of recycle engine oil was polluted
Fig. 4. Effect of extraction conditions by this toxic element because the bi-product of their
The optimized analytical parameters of all work is through away behind of the factory, so, the
experiments are summarized in Table 1. distance between Koya city and the semi factory is
Table 1: Optimized analytical parameters only 7Km. Day by day, mercury will be transferred to
Koya by air because of mercury is volatile chemical
Parameter Studied range Selected range element. Therefore, the factory must be treated with
their bi-product scientifically to save the human
λmax (nm) 200 - 600 300
health environment.
Acidity /HCl (M) 0.01 – 0.6 0.1
Time of extraction ( min.) 30 - 240 150
Acknowledgement
Temperature (oC) 80 80
Oxalic acid (%) 1-6 4
Stannous Chloride (%) 1-6 2 Sincerely thanks for the Erbil Polytechnic
University-Koya Technical Institute, Oil Technology
Conclusion Department and School of Medicine- Koya University
for providing the necessary infrastructural facilities
Mercury is a ubiquitous, environmentally during my research.
toxic chemical element. The normal range of mercury
at rural area is (0.07-1.22 ppm) and urban area is Conflicts of Interest
(0.07-1.53ppm). In this research appeared that the The authors declare no conflict of interest.
 Abdullah, Mohammed., Orient. J. Chem., Vol. 35(6), 1718-1721 (2019) 1721

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