Researchers have developed a simple and quick method for detecting mercury in fish and dental samples, two substances at the center of public concern about mercury contamination.
The technique involves a fluorescent substance that glows bright green when it comes into contact with oxidized mercury. The intensity of the glow indicates the amount of mercury present.
The new method can detect mercury in 30 to 60 minutes for dental fillings (or amalgams) or 10 to 30 minutes for fish. The fluorescence results from the reaction of mercury ions with hydrocarbons called alkynes.