Formation of two reaction zones in flow-injection systems for kinetic determinations of cobalt and nickel

The injection of a large sample volume (ca. 1 ml) into a single-channel flow-injection system was studied with a dye (to examine physical dispersion) and with chemical systems having easily-controlled reaction rates (to examine chemical kinetics). With the dye, the response curve has a central plateau caused by non-mixing of carrier and sample. When a chemical reaction takes place, two peaks are obtained with a central minimum corresponding to little or no mixing and reaction. Comparison of these two types of response provides relationships of analytical interest between response parameters and variables in te flow-injection system. The configuration is used for individual kinetic determinations of cobalt and nickel (2.5–30 μg ml^?1 based on the rate of their complex formation with 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde thiosemicarbazone. Sample injection rates were 15 h^?1 for cobalt and 40 h^?1 for nickel. Differential kinetic determinations of cobalt and nickel in mixtures are based on the increment in peak height (or area) between the two peaks obtained for each injection; sample throughput is 7 h^?.