Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of inorganic mercury and methylmercury driven by their different coordination chemistry towards thiols

Retention behavior of Hg2+, MeHg+, thimerosal and phenylmercuric acetate on a C18 RP-HPLC column

Humans are exposed to potentially toxic mercuric mercury (Hg2+) and methylmercury (MeHg+) by the ingestion of food, to the bactericidal vaccine additive thimerosal (THI), and/or to the antifungal compound phenylmercuric acetate (PMA) which is used in some lens cleaning ophthalmic fluids. While numerous HPLC methods have been developed to separate Hg2+ and MeHg+ in environmental samples (e.g. food, surface waters), comparatively few have been reported for THI and PMA, in part owing to their increased hydrophobicity. We investigated the retention behavior of Hg2+, MeHg+, THI and PMA on a reversed-phase (RP) HPLC column using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) as a Hg-specific detector. Mobile phases comprised of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) with acetonitrile (ACN) concentrations of 30-50 % (v:v) produced single Hg-peaks, which eluted in the order THI, Hg2+, MeHg+ and PMA. With the 50 % ACN mobile phase, all mercurials eluted within 5 min. While the utilization of a FAAS precludes the analysis of environmental waters with the developed RP-HPLC-FAAS method, the latter is useful to probe the stability of THI and PMA in the presence of physiologically relevant concentrations of salt (100 mM in blood plasma) and l-cysteine (0.5 mM in hepatocyte cytosol), which is important as both mercurials have been recently shown to effectively inhibit the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, though the actual inhibitory Hg-species is unknown.

L-cysteine mediated rapid separation of Hg2+ and MeHg+ by anion-exchange HPLC

Owing to the on-going emission of Hg into the global environment, new insight into their bioinorganic chemistry in mammals is urgently required to better understand their adverse health effects and analytical methods to quantify Hg2+ and MeHg+ in environmental samples are needed. Analytical separations can help to address both of these needs. While Hg2+ and MeHg+ have been most frequently separated by cation and reversed-phase (RP) HPLC, we here report on using anion-exchange (AEX) HPLC in conjunction with a flame atomic absorption spectrometer (FAAS) to observe the retention behavior of these mercury species in the pH range 5.0-8.0 using mobile phases comprised of 10 mM l-cysteine (Cys) in 100 mM phosphate buffer. The results obtained for pH 5.0 served as a starting point to develop a rapid HPLC separation for these mercurials. The addition of 5-20 % methanol (MeOH) to this mobile phase revealed that MeOH did not appreciably change the retention of Hg2+, but significantly reduced the retention of MeHg+. A 15 % MeOH-containing mobile phase offered the best compromise between achieving a rapid baseline separation in <400 s at affordable costs. To assess the suitability and robustness of the developed AEX-HPLC separation method for the analysis of environmental samples an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES) was employed as the mercury-specific detector. The developed AEX-HPLC-ICP-AES method allowed to achieve detection limits of 1.5 ppm for Hg2+ and 2.9 ppm for MeHg+ and was successfully applied to analyze wastewater that had been spiked with Hg2+ and MeHg+.

Synthesis of metal nanoclusters and their application in Hg2+ ions detection: A review

Mercuric (Hg²⁺) ions released from human activities, natural phenomena, and industrial sources are regarded as the global pollutant of world's water. Hg²⁺ ions contaminated water has several adverse effects on human health and the environment even at low concentrations. Therefore, rapid and cost-effective method is urgently required for the detection of Hg²⁺ ions in water. Although, the current analytical methods applied for the detection of Hg²⁺ ions provide low detection limit, they are time consuming, require expensive equipment, and are not suitable for in-situ analysis. Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) consisting of several to ten metal atoms are important transition missing between single atoms and plasmonic metal nanoparticles. In addition, sub-nanometer sized MNCs possess unique electronic structures and the subsequent unusual optical, physical, and chemical properties. Because of these novel properties, MNCs as a promising material have attracted considerable attention for the construction of selective and sensitive sensors to monitor water quality. Hence this review is focused on recent advances on synthesis strategies, and optical and chemical properties of various MNCs including their applications to develop optical assay for Hg²⁺ ions in aqueous solutions.

Plasmonic detection of mercury via amalgam formation on surface-immobilized single Au nanorods

Au nanorods were used as plasmonic transducers for investigation of mercury detection through a mechanism of amalgam formation at the nanorod surfaces. Marked scattering color transitions and associated blue shifts of the surface plasmon resonance peak wavelengths (λ_max) were measured in individual nanorods by darkfield microscopy upon chemical reduction of Hg(II). Such changes were related to compositional changes occurring as a result of Hg-Au amalgam formation as well as morphological changes in the nanorods' aspect ratios. The plot of λ_max shifts vs. Hg(II) concentration showed a linear response in the 10-100 nM concentration range. The sensitivity of the system was ascribed to the narrow width of single nanorod scattering spectra, which allowed accurate determination of peak shifts. The system displayed good selectivity as the optical response obtained for mercury was one order of magnitude higher than the response obtained with competitor ions. Analysis of mercury content in river and tap water were also performed and highlighted both the potential and limitation of the developed method for real sensing applications.

Excitotoxicity and oxidative damages induced by methylmercury in rat cerebral cortex and the protective effects of tea polyphenols

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a highly neurotoxic environmental pollutant that has a high appetency to the central nervous system. The underlying mechanisms of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity have not been elucidated clearly until now. Therefore, to explore the mechanisms contribute to MeHg-induced neurotoxicity, rats were exposed to different dosage of methylmercury chloride (CH3 ClHg) (0, 4, and 12 μmol kg(-1)) for 4 weeks to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of MeHg. In addition, considering the antioxidative properties of tea polyphenols (TP), 1 mmol kg(-1) TP was pretreated to observe the possible protective effects on MeHg-induced neurotoxicity. Then Hg, glutamate (Glu) and glutamine (Gln) levels, glutamine synthetase (GS), phosphate-activated glutaminase (PAG), Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase, and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities, intracellular Ca(2+) level were examined, glutathione (GSH), malondialdehyde (MDA), protein sulfhydryl, carbonyl, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) mRNA and protein expressions, apoptosis level and morphological changes in the cerebral cortex were also investigated. Study results showed that compared with those in control, exposure to CH3 ClHg resulted in excitotoxicity in a concentration-dependent manner, which was shown by the Glu-Gln cycle disruption and intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis disturbance. On the other hand, CH3 ClHg exposure resulted in oxidative damages of brain, which were supported by the significant changes on GSH, MDA, sulfhydryl, carbonyl, 8-OHdG, and ROS levels. Moreover, apoptosis rate increased obviously and many morphological changes were found after CH3 ClHg exposure. Furthermore, this research indicated that TP pretreatment significantly mitigated the toxic effects of MeHg. In conclusion, findings from this study indicated that exposure to MeHg could induce excitotoxicity and oxidative damage in cerebral cortex while TP might antagonize the MeHg-induced neurotoxicity.

Speciation analysis of mercury in water samples by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled to capillary electrophoresis

In this study, a method of pretreatment and speciation analysis of mercury by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction along with CE was developed. The method was based on the fact that mercury species including methylmercury (MeHg), ethylmercury (EtHg), phenylmercury (PhHg), and Hg(II) were complexed with 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol to form hydrophobic chelates and l-cysteine could displace 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol to form hydrophilic chelates with the four mercury species. Factors affecting complex formation and extraction efficiency, such as pH value, type, and volume of extractive solvent and disperser solvent, concentration of the chelating agent, ultrasonic time, and buffer solution were investigated. Under the optimal conditions, the enrichment factors were 102, 118, 547, and 46, and the LODs were 1.79, 1.62, 0.23, and 1.50 μg/L for MeHg, EtHg, PhHg, and Hg(II), respectively. Method precisions (RSD, n = 5) were in the range of 0.29-0.54% for migration time, and 3.08-7.80% for peak area. Satisfactory recoveries ranging from 82.38 to 98.76% were obtained with seawater, lake, and tap water samples spiked at three concentration levels, respectively, with RSD (n = 5) of 1.98-7.18%. This method was demonstrated to be simple, convenient, rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally benign, and could be used as an ideal alternative to existing methods for analyzing trace residues of mercury species in water samples.

Metal Species in Biology: Bottom-Up and Top-Down LC Approaches in Applied Toxicological Research

Since the inception of liquid chromatography (LC) more than 100 years ago this separation technique has been developed into a powerful analytical tool that is frequently applied in life science research. To this end, unique insights into the interaction of metal species (throughout this manuscript “metal species” refers to “toxic metals, metalloid compounds, and metal-based drugs” and “toxic metals” to “toxic metals and metalloid compounds”) with endogenous ligands can be obtained by using LC approaches that involve their hyphenation with inductively coupled plasma-based element specific detectors. This review aims to provide a synopsis of the different LC approaches which may be employed to advance our understanding of these interactions either in a “bottom-up” or a “top-down” manner. In the “bottom-up” LC-configuration, endogenous ligands are introduced into a physiologically relevant mobile phase buffer, and the metal species of interest is injected. Subsequent “interrogation” of the on-column formed complex(es) by employing a suitable separation mechanism (e.g., size exclusion chromatography or reversed-phase LC) while changing the ligand concentration(s), the column temperature or the pH can provide valuable insight into the formation of complexes under near physiological conditions. This approach allows to establish the relative stability and hydrophobicity of metal-ligand complexes as well as the dynamic coordination of a metal species (injected) to two ligands (dissolved in the mobile phase). Conversely, the “top-down” analysis of a biological fluid (e.g., blood plasma) by LC (e.g., using size exclusion chromatography) can be used to determine the size distribution of endogenous metalloproteins which are collectively referred to as the “metalloproteome”. This approach can provide unique insight into the metabolism and the plasma protein binding of metal species, and can simultaneously visualize the dose-dependent perturbation of the metalloproteome by a particular metal species. The concerted application of these LC approaches is destined to provide new insight into biochemical processes which represent an important starting point to advance human health in the 21st century.

Double spike isotope dilution GC-ICP-MS for evaluation of mercury species transformation in real fish samples using ultrasound-assisted extraction

Sample preparation continues being a key factor to obtain fast and reliable quantification of Hg species. Assisted procedures enhance the efficiency and reduce the extraction time; however, collateral species transformations have been observed. Moreover, differential interconversions have been observed even between similar matrixes, which introduce an important uncertainty for real sample analysis. Trying to minimize Hg species transformations, we have tested a soft ultrasound-assisted extraction procedure. Species quantification and transformations have been evaluated using double spike isotope dilution analysis (IDA) together with gas chromatography inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS) for a CRM material (Tort-2) and shark and swordfish muscle samples. Optimum extraction solution and sonication time led to quantitative extraction and accurate determination of MeHg and IHg in a short time, although different behaviors regarding species preservation were observed depending on the sample. Negligible species transformations were observed in the analysis of the CRM, while a small but significant demethylation factor was observed in the case of real samples. In comparison with other extraction procedures, species transformations became smaller, and fewer differences between fish species were found. Similar results were obtained for fresh and lyophilized samples of both fish samples, which permit one to analyze the fresh sample directly and save time in the sample preparation step. The high grade of species preservation and the affordability of the extraction procedure allow one to obtain accurate determinations even for routine laboratories using quantification techniques, which do not estimate species transformations.

Improved RP-HPLC separation of Hg²⁺ and CH₃Hg⁺ using a mixture of thiol-based mobile phase additives

Hg(2+) and CH(3)Hg(+) are frequently encountered in the environment either as free ions or complexed with organic matter, such as humic acids. The majority of the reported HPLC-based separations of environmental mercury species, however, separate Hg(2+) from CH(3)Hg(+) in which the former species elutes close to the void volume. To detect mercury-species in environmental waters that may have so far escaped detection, a separation method is needed that sufficiently retains both Hg(2+) and CH(3)Hg(+). One way to develop such a method is to increase the retention of Hg(2+) and CH(3)Hg(+) using existing HPLC separations. We here report on the improvement of a previously reported RP-HPLC-based separation of Hg(2+) and CH(3)Hg(+) that employed a 100 % aqueous mobile phase [10 mM L-cysteine (Cys) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.5)]. To increase the retention of Hg(2+), Cys was replaced by the comparatively more hydrophobic N-acetylcysteine (N-Cys). To achieve a compromise between an increased retention of Hg(2+) and its baseline separation from CH(3)Hg(+) in the shortest possible analysis time, the retention behavior of both mercurials was investigated on two RP-HPLC columns with mobile phases that contained mixtures of Cys and N-Cys in which the overall thiol concentration was maintained at 10 mM. An optimal separation of both mercurials could be achieved in ∼540 s using a Gemini C(18) HPLC column (150 × 4.6 mm I.D.) and a mobile phase comprised of 7.5 mM N-Cys and 2.5 Cys in 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.4). Coupling the developed HPLC separation with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer should allow one to detect mercury species other than Hg(2+) and CH(3)Hg(+) in environmental waters. The detection of such species is critical to better understand the mobilization of mercury species from natural and anthropogenic pollution sources.

Glutathione complex formation with mercury(II) in aqueous solution at physiological pH

The mercury(II) complexes formed in neutral aqueous solution with glutathione (GSH, here denoted AH(3) in its triprotonated form) were studied using Hg L(III)-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and (199)Hg NMR spectroscopy, complemented with electrospray ionization mass spectrometric (ESI-MS) analyses. The [Hg(AH)(2)](2-) complex, with the Hg-S bond distances at 2.325 ± 0.01 Å in linear S-Hg-S coordination, and the (199)Hg NMR chemical shift at -984 ppm, dominates except at high excess of glutathione. In a series of solutions with C(Hg(II)) ∼17 mM and GSH/Hg(II) mole ratios rising from 2.4 to 11.8, the gradually increasing mean Hg-S bond distance corresponds to an increasing amount of the [Hg(AH)(3)](4-) complex. ESI-MS peaks appear at -m/z values of 1208 and 1230 corresponding to the [Na(4)Hg(AH)(2)(A)](-) and [Na(5)Hg(AH)(A)(2)](-) species, respectively. In another series of solutions at pH 7.0 with C(Hg(II)) ∼50 mM and GSH/Hg(II) ratios from 2.0 to 10.0, the Hg L(III)-edge EXAFS and (199)Hg NMR spectra show that at high excess of glutathione (∼0.35 M) about ∼70% of the total mercury(II) concentration is present as the [Hg(AH)(3)](4-) complex, with the average Hg-S bond distance 2.42 ± 0.02 Å in trigonal HgS(3) coordination. The proportions of HgS(n) species, n = 2, 3, and 4, quantified by fitting linear combinations of model EXAFS oscillations to the experimental EXAFS data in our present and previous studies were used to obtain stability constants for the [Hg(AH)(3)](4-) complex and also for the [Hg(A)(4)](10-) complex that is present at high pH. For Hg(II) in low concentration at physiological conditions (pH 7.4, C(GSH) = 2.2 mM), the relative amounts of the HgS(2) species [Hg(AH)(2)](2-), [Hg(AH)(A)](3-), and the HgS(3) complex [Hg(AH)(3)](4-) were calculated to be 95:2:3. Our results are not consistent with the formation of dimeric Hg(II)-GSH complexes proposed in a recent EXAFS study.

Mercury(II) complex formation with glutathione in alkaline aqueous solution

The structure and speciation of the complexes formed between mercury(II) ions and glutathione (GSH = L-glutamyl-L-cysteinyl-glycine) have been studied for a series of alkaline aqueous solutions (C(Hg2+) approximately 18 mmol dm(-3) and C(GSH) = 40-200 mmol dm(-3) at pH approximately 10.5) by means of extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and 199Hg NMR spectroscopy at ambient temperature. The dominant complexes are [Hg(GS)2](4-) and [Hg(GS)3](7-), with mean Hg-S bond distances of 2.32(1) and 2.42(2) angstroms observed in digonal and trigonal Hg-S coordination, respectively. The proportions of the Hg(2+)-glutathione complexes were evaluated by fitting linear combinations of model EXAFS oscillations representing each species to the experimental EXAFS spectra. The [Hg(GS)4](10-) complex, with four sulfur atoms coordinated at a mean Hg-S bond distance of 2.52(2) angstroms, is present in minor amounts (< 30%) in solutions containing a large excess of glutathione (C(GSH) > or = 160 mmol dm(-3)). Comparable alkaline mercury(II) cysteine (H2Cys) solutions were also investigated and a reduced tendency to form higher complexes was observed, because the deprotonated amino group of Cys(2-) allows the stable [Hg(S,N-Cys)2](2-) chelate to form. The effect of temperature on the distribution of the Hg(2+)-glutathione complexes was studied by comparing the EXAFS spectra at ambient temperature and at 25 K of a series of glycerol/water (33/67, v/v) frozen glasses with C(Hg2+) approximately 7 mmol dm(-3) and C(GSH) = 16-81 mmol dm(-3). Complexes with high Hg-S coordination numbers, [Hg(GS)3](7-) and [Hg(GS)4](10-), became strongly favored when just a moderate excess of glutathione (C(GSH) > or = 28 mmol dm(-3)) was used in the glassy samples, as expected for a stepwise exothermic bond formation. Addition of glycerol had no effect on the Hg(II)-glutathione speciation, as shown by the similarity of the EXAFS spectra obtained at room temperature for two parallel series of Hg(II)-glutathione solutions with C(Hg2+) approximately 7 mmol dm(-3), with and without 33% glycerol. Also, the 199Hg NMR chemical shifts of a series of 18 mmol dm(-3) mercury(II) glutathione solutions with 33% glycerol were not significantly different from those of the corresponding series in aqueous solution.