Assessment of differential-pulse adsorption voltammetry for the simultaneous determination of nickel and cobalt in biological materials

An assessment of the voltammetric method based on chelate adsorption at the hanging mercury drop electrode is described for the simultaneous determination of nickel and cobalt in biological materials. The interfacial accumulation of the elements as metal dimethylglyoximates during the adsorption step, and the use of differential-pulse voltammetry during the reduction step, provide substantial gains in the sensitivity of their voltammetric responses. The decomposition of the sample material by direct dry ashing provides a blank-free approach for the accurate determination of the elements. Application of the method to the available certified biological reference materials for cobalt and nickel was successful. The limits of detection obtained under the conditions of this study were 0.01 μg g^-1 and 0.02 μg g^-1 for cobalt and nickel, respectively, in bovine liver.