Determination of organomercury compounds using immobilized peroxidase

The effect of organomercury compounds (methyl-, ethyl- and phenylmercury) on the activity of immobilized peroxidase was studied. Peroxidase was immobilized in chitosan films in wells on a polystyrene plate and on chromatography paper. The oxidation reactions of o-dianisidine, o-phenylenediamine and 3,3′, 5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine by H2O2 were used as indicators. The rate of all the indicator reactions was monitored visually by measuring the time of appearance of the colour of the oxidation product. The liberating effect of organomercury compounds on peroxidase immobilized on both the above mentioned supports using o-dianisidine oxidation in the presence of the inhibitor phenylthiourea and the effect of organomercury compounds on the duration of an induction period of 3,3′, 5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine oxidation in the presence of diethyldithiocarbamate catalysed by paper-immobilized peroxidase were used for the development of enzymatic test procedures for the determination of organomercury compounds at concentrations of 0.02–1000 μM. The relative standard deviation (n = 3) at the lower limits of their analytical concentration ranges in the proposed test procedures using o-dianisidine are 18–23% (n = 3).