Cloud Point Extraction Simultaneous Spectrophotometric Determination of Zn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) in Water and Urine Samples by 1-(2-Pyridylazo)2-Naphthol Using Partial Least Squares Regression

A cloud-point extraction (CPE) process using the nonionic surfactant Triton X-114 to simultaneous extraction and spectrophotometric determination of Zn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) from aqueous solution using partial least squares (PLS) regression is investigated. The method is based on the color reaction of these cations with 1-(2-pyridylazo)2-naphthol and subsequent micelle-mediated extraction of products. The optimum extraction and reaction conditions such as pH, reagents concentration and effect of time have been studied. Linearity was obeyed in the range 2–150, 5–250 and 2–150 ng mL⁻¹ of Zn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) respectively. The relative standard error (RSE) for the simultaneous determination of 15 test samples of different concentrations of Zn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) was 4.38%;, 1.18% and 2.42%, respectively. The total relative standard error (RSE_t) for applying the PLS method to 15 synthetic samples in the linear ranges of these metals was 2.36%. The interference effect of some anions and cations was also tested. The method was applied to the simultaneous determination of Zn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) in water and human urine samples.