Open digestion modification of AOAC method for determination of mercury in fish.

The vanadium pentoxide-catalyzed reflux method has been modified to allow open digestion of samples in preparation for determination of organic and inorganic mercury. The reflux digestion performed with a bunsen burner resulted in charred samples, but digestions performed in tubes in a 95-100 degrees C water bath were satisfactory. As many as 40 digestions can be carried out simultaneously, and the technique offers a fast and simple approach to digestion, dilution, and transfer.