This document specifies a method for the determination of organomercury in seafood by elemental mercury analysis. The method has been successfully validated in an interlaboratory study on oyster tissue, mussel tissue, lobster hepatopancreas, dogfish liver and tuna at levels from 0,01 mg/kg to 5 mg/kg referring to dry weight and expressed as mercury [1], [2].

The limit of quantification is approximately 0,01 mg/kg of organomercury [3], [4].

Organic species of mercury, other than monomethylmercury, are also extracted and thus determined with this method. However, in seafood the contribution from organic species of mercury other than monomethylmercury is negligible.