The Chromatographic Analysis of Reduced Sulfur Gases in Antarctic Waters Following Pre-Concentration onto Tenax

Abstract

A technique was developed using sparging and pre-concentration onto a Tenax trap at ambient temperature allowing field measurements to be made of reduced sulfur gases in Antarctic marine and glacial melt waters. Following thermal desorption, gases were determined by gas chromatography using a flame photometric detector. Detection limits in ng 1⁻¹ were: H₂S 50, OCS 8, SO₂ 160, CH₃SH 6, CH₃SCH₃ 20 and CS₂ 2. Storage of melt water samples for more than 24 hours resulted in concentration changes of the reduced sulfur gases present. While the Antarctic environment imposed limitations on the analytical method, an investigation of various pond and marine waters was undertaken.

Key Words:

• Dimethylsulfide
• carbon disulfide
• Tenax
• gas chromatography
• Antarctica