Determination of Nickel after Online Sorbent Preconcentration by FI-FAAS Using Dimethylglyoxime as a Complexing Agent

Dimethylglyoxime (DMG) has been tested as a complexing agent for the determination of nickel after online preconcentration on RP-C₁₈ in a microcolumn using flow injection coupled with a flame atomic absorption spectrometry system (FI-FAAS). The Ni–DMG complexes formed online can be adsorbed on the C₁₈ sorbent. Various parameters affecting the online Ni–DMG complex formation and its subsequent adsorption in the microcolumn as well as its elution into the nebulizer of the FAAS were optimized. A 10⁻³ mol/L solution of DMG in 4% ethanol was mixed online with an aqueous sample solution acidified to 0.1% (v/v) nitric acid and flowed for 30 s through the microcolumn. The adsorbed Ni–DMG complex in the microcolumn was eluted with ethanol containing 1% HNO₃ into the nebulizer of the FAAS in 10 s. A good precision (RSD = 1.7%, n = 14), high enrichment factor (21), and high sample throughput (90 h⁻¹) with detection limit (3ς) 3 μg/L were obtained. The method was applied to standard reference materials, i.e., NBS-362, NBS-364 (special low-alloy steel), and mussel (GBW 08571), for the determination of nickel and the results were in good agreement with certified values. Nickel recovery from seawater and high-purity magnesium oxide in the range 98–100% can be obtained by this method.