Fiber optic-linear array detection spectrophotometry in combination with cloud point extraction for simultaneous preconcentration and determination of cobalt and nickel

A new combined method including fiber optic-linear array detection spectrophotometry (FO-LADS) and cloud point extraction (CPE) was developed using a cylindrical micro cell for simultaneous preconcentration and determination of different species. The CPE and FO-LADS methods have good matching conditions for combination because FO-LADS is suitable as a detection technique for the low volume of remained phase obtained after CPE. This combination was carried out using 50 μL cylindrical micro cell and then employed for simultaneous preconcentration and determination of cobalt and nickel.Cloud point extraction method was based on the chromogenic reaction of metal ions and 1-(2-pyridylazo)-2-naphthol (PAN) and then preconcentration of formed complexes using octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol (Triton X-114). The remained phase after CPE was transferred into cylindrical micro cell and located at the cell holder of FO-LADS. The spectra of cobalt and nickel complexes were collected by FO-LADS and processed for ordinary and first derivative spectrophotometry.Optimization of different parameters was evaluated. Under optimum conditions, calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.6–30.0 and 0.1–15.0 μg L−1 with detection limits of 0.2 and 0.04 μg L−1 for Co and Ni respectively. The relative standard deviations (R.S.D.s) were lower than 4%. The obtained enhancement factors were 198 and 199 for cobalt and nickel, respectively.The proposed method was compared with the other methods and applied to the analysis of several real and spiked samples.