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Abstract
The microdiffusion method published by Brouwer and Murphy[1] for analysis of acid volatile sulphide (AVS-chiefly FeS) has been extended to both AVS and FeS2in a two step process. For the first step (AVS analysis), excellent recoveries (∼100%) are obtained for Na2S, FeS, PbS, CdS, and ZnS provided diffusion times are long enough. Recovery from other insoluble metal sulphides (Ag2S and HgS) were low, while for CuS were variable. In the second step, recoveries were ∼100% for ground, crystalline FeS2. This work re-emphasises the importance of adding a sufficiently strong reducing agent during AVS determination in sediments to prevent oxidation of S2− by Fe3+ produced in the acid dissolution of ferric phases. The method is amenable to adoption to different apparatus provided recoveries and reaction times are checked with suitable standards.