Sulfur speciation in two typical soil samples using X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy and chemical fractionation

Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy and chemical sequential extraction was respectively used to study the speciation of sulfur in two sulfur-rich soils samples. Sulfur K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy analysis obtained a variety of spectra. Spectral fitting of the X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra utilizing a large set of model compounds showed great differences between these two sulfur-rich soil samples. It was found that both of the soil samples had high sulfur content (8.40 and 11.57?g?kg^?1, respectively). Chemical extraction results suggested that sulfur mainly existed as organic in the ancient paddy soil (7.37?g?kg^?1) and more reduced sulfur was identified in it. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy also got similar results. These organic forms of sulfur existed in organic matter across a range of oxidation states. There was high proportion of oxidized sulfur in the sulfuric acid plant that mainly existed as sulfate.