Liquid-liquid microextraction based on a dispersion of Pd nanoparticles combined with ETAAS for sensitive Hg determination in water samples

► Extraction of Hg by dodecanethiolate-coated Pd monolayer-protected clusters. ► Application of Pd NPs in liquid-liquid microextraction. ► Mechanisms for Hg extraction studied by chemical physical techniques. ► Highly selective determination of Hg at trace levels.