Experimental conditions have been optimized for volatile species generation (VSG) of four mercury species and their subsequent atomization with detection by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). The species investigated were mercury (+II), methylmercury (+I), ethylmercury (+I) and phenylmercury (+I). Flow injection construction of volatile species generator and externally heated quartz tube atomizer were employed. The optimized parameters were the concentration of hydrochloric acid and sodium borohydride, the length of the reaction coil, carrier gas flow rate, atomization temperature and the amount of oxygen present in the atomizer. Furthermore, the effect of the drying tube on the signal of Hg species as well as the applicability of tin chloride as an alternative reductant instead of sodium borohydride were studied. Calibration curves were measured and the basic analytical figures of merit were determined, under optimum experimental conditions, for all four mercury species investigated. Limits of detection for Hg species ranged from 0.12 to 0.25 ng cm-3 , while sensitivity reached ca 0.10 s ng-1 at atomization temperature of 500 řC. Experiments focused on atomization temperature optimization have revealed that volatile compounds generated from organic Hg species decompose significantly. Speciation...
