Improved Chromatographic Techniques for Sulfur Pollutants

This paper describes several improvements in instrumental techniques for the analysis of low ppb concentrations of sulfur gases using gas chromatography (G.C.). This work has focused on the analytical problem of ambient air monitoring of the two main sulfur gas pollutants, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. The most significant technical improvement that will be reported here is the newly developed silica gel column for ppb concentrations of the light sulfur gases (COS, H2S, CS2, SO2, CH3SH). A simplified inlet system will be described which improves reliability of the GC system. The flame photometric detector is used as the means of selectively and sensitively detecting the low concentrations of sulfur gases. Improvements will be described which have yielded better performance than previously reported for this application of the detector. Also included in this paper will be a report of field monitoring using this improved GC system. Reliability and repeatability of performance at the low ppb concentrations of sulfur gases will be demonstrated.