Thermo Fisher develops solution for analysis of mercury in fish

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc has published a new application note demonstrating the capability of the Thermo Scientific iCE 3000 Series AA spectrometers and Thermo Scientific VP100 vapour generation accessory to accurately detect trace levels of mercury in fish. Mercury is a significant environmental toxin that enters the marine food chain. The consumption of contaminated fish is the main route of human exposure to mercury, which can prove fatal. The application note entitled 'Accurate analysis of low levels of mercury in fish by hydride generation AA', gives details of the reagents, sample preparation and instrument conditions needed to accurately analyse low levels of mercury.

Growing concerns about the possible presence of this toxic chemical in the food supply chain have led to tighter restrictions on its presence in the food. Countries and organisations around the world have developed regulations that enforce maximum concentrations of mercury in fish to approximately 0.5 mg/kg wet weight. Coupled with the VP100 vapour generation accessory, the iCE 3000 Series AA spectrometers are capable of reaching detection limits of 0.014 mg/kg. The sensitivity and precision of this configuration easily meets the detection limits detailed in all current international guidelines.