[A practical method for the determination of cobalt in urine (author's transl)]

A simple and reliable analytical method for the determination of cobalt in human urine is described. After an extraction step, cobalt is measured with the aid of flameless atomic absorption spectrometry. The detection limit is 0.1 microgram cobalt per litre urine. The recovery of cobalt, determined by the addition of a defined cobalt concentration to the urine, is in the range of 101-107%. The relative standard deviation is between 3.4 and 8.6%. In the urine of persons not professionally exposed to cobalt, concentrations between 0.1 and 0.75 microgram/l were found.