Indirect Complexometric Determination of Mercury(II) Using Potassium Bromide as Selective Masking Agent

 A complexometric method for the determination of mercury in presence of other metal ions based on the selective masking ability of potassium bromide towards mercury is described. Mercury(II) present in a given sample solution is first complexed with a known excess of EDTA and the surplus EDTA is titrated against zinc sulfate solution at pH 5–6 using xylenol orange as the indicator. A known excess of 10% solution of potassium bromide is then added and the EDTA released from Hg-EDTA complex is titrated against standard zinc sulfate solution. Reproducible and accurate results are obtained for 8 mg to 250 mg of mercury(II) with a relative error ± 0.28% and standard deviations ≤0.5 mg. The interference of various ions is studied. This method was applied to the determination of mercury(II) in its alloys.