Application of electrogenerated chemiluminescence of luminol to determination of traces of cobalt(II) in aqueous alkaline solution

A selective method for determination of traces of cobalt(II) in aqueous alkaline solution has been developed, based on the electrochemical generation of luminescence from luminol at a rotating ring—disc electrode. The detection limit is 10^-8 M, and the linear calibration range extends up to 3 × 10^-6 M; the r.s.d. for 2.0 × 10^-7 M cobalt is 6%. Of 21 metal ions, only chromium(III) and copper(II) interfere seriously; EDTA also interferes.