Comparative study of 8-hydroxyquinoline derivatives as chelating reagents for flow-injection preconcentration of cobalt in a knotted reactor

8-Hydroxyquinoline (HQ), 2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline (CH₃-HQ), 5,7-dichloro-2-methyl-8-hydroxyquinoline (Cl₂-CH₃-HQ), 5,7-dibromo-8-hydroxyquinoline (Br₂-HQ), 5-sulfo-7-iodo-8-hydroxyquinoline (ferron) and 5-sulfo-8-hydroxyquinoline (SO₃H-HQ) were compared as chelating reagents for on-line sorption preconcentration of cobalt in a knotted reactor (KR) precoated with the reagent. The results obtained with the different HQ derivatives reveal those properties of the chelating reagent responsible for the processes taking place in the KR. The influence of hydrophobicity, acidity, stability of the cobalt chelate and type of substituents in the HQ ring system on the separate steps of the flow injection (FI) preconcentration procedure are discussed. According to the performance characteristics of the different HQ derivatives, the most important parameters for on-line preconcentration in a KR are the hydrophobicity of the reagent and the stability of the chelate complex with the analyte.