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Analysis of atmospheric sulfur gases by capillary gas chromatography with atomic emission detection

1994; Wiley; Volume: 17; Issue: 12 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1002/jhrc.1240171203

1521-4168

Hilton B. Swan, J. P. Ivey,

Air Quality and Health Impacts

Abstract The atomic emission detector (AED) has been found to be a sensitive and selective instrument for analysis of atmospheric sulfur gases by capillary gas chromatography. It was possible to determine atmospheric dimethyl sulfide at concentrations below 0.3 nmol/m 3 typical of the remote marine environment in winter. Sample analyses from the Australian Baseline Air Pollution Station, Cape Grim, are used to illustrate this. In comparison with other sulfur‐specific detectors previously used for this work, the AED has been found to exhibit the best combination of specificity and sensitivity. A configuration comprising a series of valves, gas calibration loops, and a cryogenic trap prior to the GC‐AED was used for sample analysis. Standard addition of sulfur hexafluoride was found to assist determination of carbonyl sulfide, as it could be used to take into account the magnitude of signal quenching from coeluting gases. The AED was also found to be a selective detector for the direct injection of water‐soluble dimethyl sulfide oxidation products.