Determination of free elemental sulphur in some petroleum products

Uncombined elemental sulphur in petroleum products such as kerosene, diesel, furnace and gear oil has been determined by conversion into copper(I) sulphide at 150-170 degrees . The copper(I) sulphide can be weighed, or its sulphur content determined by the iodimetric method.     

Determination of sulphide, polysulphide, thiocarbonates and sulphur by extraction with tributyltin hydroxide, and of thiosulphate by hydrogenation

The methods presented involve the separation of sulphur compounds by means of a hexane solution of tributyltin hydroxide (TBT), followed by titration with o-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid in the presence of dithizone as indicator. Free sulphide is selectively extracted from strongly alkaline solution, whereas the polysulphides and thiocarbonates are extracted at pH 9-10. The polysulphide and thiocarbonate extracts decompose to form TBT-sulphide, sulphur and carbon disulphide. Treatment with sulphite, stannate(II), copper, vinyl cyanide and ethylenediamine, and hydrogenation with zinc and hydrobromic acid have been applied in the course of the analysis. The sulphur is determined by its attack on copper to form copper(I) sulphide which is subsequently dissolved in aqueous potassium cyanide solution and the sulphide separated by extraction.     

Analytical applications of condensed phosphoric acid-III Iodometric determination of sulphur after reduction of sulphate with sodium hypophosphite and either tin metal or potassium iodide in condensed phosphoric acid

Novel methods for the reduction of sulphate to hydrogen sulphide with hypophosphite-tin metal or hypophosphite-iodide in condensed phosphoric acid (CPA) are proposed. The reduction of sulphate with hypophosphite alone does not proceed quantitatively. Sulphate, however, is quantitatively decomposed with hypophosphite when tin metal or potassium iodide is used together with it. The determination of sulphur by the hypophosphite-tin metal-CPA and tin(II)-CPA methods is interfered with by copper on account of the stabilization of copper(I) sulphide, but this interference can be eliminated by adding iodide, e.g. potassium and lead salts. Alum and barytes are quantitatively decomposed within 15 min at 140 and 280 degrees , respectively. The hydrogen sulphide evolved is absorbed in zinc acetate solution at pH 4.5 and then determined by iodometry.     

Analytical applications of condensed phosphoric acid-IV Iodometric determination of sulphur in sulphate and sulphide ores and minerals and other compounds after reduction with sodium hypophosphite and tin metal in condensed phosphoric acid

Sulphate in sulphate ores, e.g., alunite, anglesite, barytes, chalcanthite, gypsum, manganese sulphate ore, is reduced to hydrogen sulphide by the hypophosphite-tin metal-CPA method, if a slight modification is made. Sulphide ores, e.g., galena, sphalerite, are quantitatively decomposed with CPA alone to give hydrogen sulphide. Suitable reducing agents must be used for the quantitative recovery of hydrogen sulphide from pyrite, nickel sulphide, cobalt sulphide and cadmium sulphide, or elemental sulphur is liberated. Iodide must be used in the decomposition of chalcopyrite; the copper sulphide is too stable to be decomposed by CPA alone. Molybdenite is not decomposed in CPA even if reducing agents are added. The pretreatment methods for the determination of sulphur in sulphur oxyacids and elemental sulphur have also been investigated.     

X-ray photoelectron spectrometric and x-ray fluorometric studies of sulphur compounds on the surface of copper plates exposed to the atmosphere

X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and XRF as techniques for monitoring air pollution are compared. Sulphide and oxides of sulphur (SO(2), SO(3) and SO(2-)(4)) have been determined on copper plates exposed for different lengths of time to an atmosphere containing hydrogen sulphide. The total amount of sulphur increases with the time of exposure but the sulphide reaches a constant value after 59 days. An interpretation of the mechanism of oxidation of hydrogen sulphide is offered.     

Determination of hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide in a mixture

A method has been proposed for the determination of hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide in a mixture. The method is based upon the quantitative oxidation of sulphide and sulphite with an excess of radiochloramine-T in alkaline medium /0.1N NaOH/. The released chloride activity is proportional to the total amount of sulphide and sulphite present. Addition of 1% CdSO₄ solution to the mixture of sulphide and sulphite precipitates sulphide, and sulphite in the filtrate determined by the reagent. From the difference in activities, the amount of sulphide can be calculated. This method can be employed for the determination of hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide in air samples.     

Thiomercurimetric determination of sulphur, aliphatic and aromatic thiols and disulphides in hydrocarbon solvents, using reduction with sodium aluminium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)dihydride

A method is proposed for determination of hydrogen sulphide and aliphatic and aromatic thiols in hydrocarbon solvents by extraction with 2M potassium hydroxide and titration with o-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid in the presence of dithiofluorescein and dithizone, with selective masking with acrylonitrile. Sulphur and organic disulphides are readily converted by sodium aluminium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)dihydride in benzene solution into hydrogen sulphide and thiols, which can either be directly titrated after dilution with alcohol or separated by extraction and determined in the presence of each other.     

Potentiometric argentimetric method for the successive titration of sulphide and dissolved sulphur in polysulphide solutions

Sulphide sulphur and dissolved sulphur in a polysulphide solution can be successively determined with satisfactory accuracy and reproducibility by potentiometric argentimetry in which a sulphide-selective indicator electrode is used. Before the titration, polysulphide ions need to be converted by an excess of potassium cyanide into thiocyanate and sulphide ions. The excess of cyanide ions is masked with formaldehyde and sulphuric acid, then the solution is made alkaline with ammonia and titrated with silver nitrate till the first end-point is reached (sulphide sulphur). After the acidification of the solution with sulphuric acid, the titration is continued till the second end-point is attained (dissolved sulphur).     

Nucleation and crystal growth of copper(II) 8-hydroxyquinolinate precipitated from mixed solvents

The precipitation kinetics of copper(II) 8-hydroxyquinolinate, formed in water-acetone mixtures, have been studied in a stop-flow apparatus by spectrophotometric techniques. Three factors are found to be important in improving the physical characteristics of crystals precipitated from mixed solvents. Supersaturation and growth rate can be controlled uniformly by slow rate of change in solvent composition; the presence of acetone significantly reduces the number of effective nuclei; thirdly, large amounts of organic solvent cause a change in the crystal form and its growth mechanism. At room temperature, copper(II) 8-hydroxyquinolinate is precipitated as a dihydrate from water-acetone mixtures containing 0-60% acetone, and the crystal growth is limited by a diffusion-controlled process. Anhydrous copper(II) 8-hydroxyquinolinate is formed in 70% acetone solutions by a surface-controlled reaction.     

Determination of trace amounts of sulphur in selenium

Determination of trace amounts of sulphur as Methylene Blue after reduction of sulphate to sulphide by hydriodic and hypophosphorous acids in acetic acid solution is applied to the determination of trace amounts of sulphur in selenium after removal of the selenium by evaporation with hydrobromic acid. Samples of 100 mg or less of selenium are chosen if the sulphur content is greater than 5-10 ppm; the time required for the separation is about 1.5 hr; 100 ppm of sulphur has been determined with a coeffident of variation of 5.2%. If the sulphur content is less than 5 ppm, 1-g samples must be taken and the time required is then about 3 hr; 0.4 ppm of sulphur has been determined with a standard deviation of 0.13 ppm. The accuracy of the method seems to be well within the random error.     

Studies on Liquid/liquid Extraction of Copper Ion with Room Temperature Ionic Liquid

Room temperature ionic liquids are regarded as “Green solvents” for their nonvolatile and thermally stable properties. They are employed to replace traditional volatile organic solvents in organic synthesis, solvent extraction, and electrochemistry. In this work, a water immiscible room temperature ionic liquid, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate [C₄mim][PF₆], was used as an alternative solvent for liquid/liquid extraction of copper ions. Metal chelators, including dithizone, 8‐hydroxyquinoline, and 1‐(2‐pyridylazo)‐2‐naphthol, were employed to form neutral metal‐chelate complexes with copper ions so that copper ions were extracted from aqueous solution into [C₄mim][PF₆]. The parameters that affect the extraction of copper ions with this biphasic system were investigated. The extraction behavior in this novel biphasic system is shown to be consistent with that of traditional solvents. For example, the extraction with this biphasic system is strongly pH dependent. So, the extraction efficiency of coppers ion from an aqueous phase can be manipulated by tailoring the pH value of the extraction system. Hence, the extraction, separation and preconcentraction of copper ions can be accomplished by controlling the pH value of the extraction system. It appears that the use of ionic liquid as an alternate solvent system in liquid/liquid extraction of copper ions is very promising.     

Continuous-flow molecular emission cavity analysis for organic sulphur compounds by alkaline hydrolysis

Alkaline hydrolysis of various organic sulphur compounds (thioacetamide, thiosemicarbazide, thiodiacetic acid and dithiooxamide) in a continuous-flow analyzer produces sulphide which can be removed from the solution after acidification. Hydrogen sulphide evolved is measured by molecular emission cavity analysis. Samples can be analyzed at a rate of 30 h^?1 with a relative error of 1–2%.     

Development of a quantification method for the analysis of malodorous sulphur compounds in gaseous industrial effluents by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-pulsed flame photometric detection

A quantification method for malodorous sulphur compounds in gaseous industrial effluents using solid-phase microextraction sampling followed by gas chromatography-pulsed flame photometric detection has been developed. A comparative study showed that polydimethylsiloxane-Carboxen fibre led to sufficient sensitivity to achieve the microg m(-3) human perception levels of the five analytes studied (hydrogen sulphide, methanethiol, ethanethiol, dimethyl sulphide, dimethyl disulphide). However, this coating is known to suffer from competitive adsorption, which may lead to inaccurate quantification. Therefore, external calibration can only be used under a limited range of concentrations, which were determined from Fick's diffusion law. This approach was tested on a real gaseous sample and compared with the standard addition method. Good correlations were found for ethanethiol, dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide. However, for more volatile sulphur compounds (i.e., hydrogen sulphide and methanethiol), the easy-to-use external calibration could not be applied and standard additions had to be performed for accurate quantification.     

Lead dioxide in simultaneous microdetermination of carbon,hydrogen and halogens or sulphur

Summary The use of lead dioxide as the internal absorbent for all substances which usually interfere in organic microanalysis is described. It has been found that at room temperature lead dioxide absorbs sulphur (as SO₂) and halogens. Because of this property lead dioxide can be successfully used as external absorbent in simultaneous determination of carbon, hydrogen and sulphur or halogens in compounds not containing nitrogen.

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Zusammenfassung Die Verwendung von Bleidioxid als internes Absorptionsmittel für alle Stoffe, die bei der organischen Mikroanalyse üblicherweise stören können, wurde beschrieben. Bei Zimmertemperatur absorbiert Bleidioxid Schwefel (als SO₂) und Halogene. Daher kann es mit Erfolg als äußeres Absorptions-mittel bei der gleichzeitigen Bestimmung von Kohlenstoff, Wasserstoff und Schwefel oder Halogen in stickstofffreien Substanzen verwendet werden.

     

Application of the iodine-azide reaction to the catalytic determination of divalent sulphur compounds in alcoholic medium: Determination of ethylenethiourea in some biological materials

A new catalytic method for the determination of divalent sulphur compounds, which are soluble or insoluble in water, based on the iodine–azide reaction in various alcoholic solutions is described. As model divalent sulphur catalysts the sodium sulphide and thiourea were chosen. Determination of ethylenethiourea in alcoholic extracts from apples and bananas was an example of practical application of the proposed method. To that purpose five previous elaborated techniques were adopted: titration, volumetric, gas chromatographic, enthalpimetric and potentiometric. The effect of other organic solvents, salts, acids and pH on the determination of divalent sulphur catalysts was also evaluated.     

A new indirect spectrophotometric procedure for determination of sulphur dioxide

An operationally inexpensive and sensitive spectrophotometric procedure for sulphur dioxide is proposed. The reagent 5,5-dimethyl-1,2,3-cyclohexanetrione-1,2-dioxime-3-thiosemicarbaz one is used to determine trace amounts of sulphur dioxide indirectly by means of the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II). The method can determine down to 0.032 microg/ml of sulphur dioxide in the final solution and recoveries are better than 98%. The method can be applied to the determination of atmospheric SO(2) provided that interfering gases such as nitrogen dioxide and hydrogen sulphide are eliminated.     

New synthetic utility of singlet oxygen in sulphide photo-oxidation : Selective and stereospecific hydroxylation α to sulphur of 4-substituted 3-benzoyl-2,2- dimethylthiazolidines

Direct hydroxylation α to sulphur was accomplished in singlet oxygenation of thiazolidine derivatives. Photo-oxidation of 4-substituted 3-benzoyl-2,2-dimethylthiazolidines in aprotic solvents below 0° gave the corresponding 5-hydroxy derivatives quantitatively by subsequent treatment of dimethyl sulphide or triphenyl phosphine. The alcohols were stereospecifically formed with 4,5-trans configuration. Protic solvent, such as methanol, inefficiently afforded a mixture of 5-hydroxide and S-oxide. The photo-oxidation of optically active 4-methoxycarbonyl derivative gave the optically active alcohol as only one diastereomer.     

The determination of microgram amounts of sulphur in nitrate or chloride solutions

It is shown that μg quantities of sulphate can be “collected” with barium chromate when the latter is precipitated from solutions at a pH of about 1. The sulphate in this precipitate can be converted to hydrogen sulphide when the precipitate is treated at red heat with a mixture of hydrogen and hydrogen chloride vapour. The above procedure has been made the basis of a method for determining traces of sulphur, down to about 0.2 p.p.m. on a 10 g sample, when the hydrogen sulphide is determined absorptiometrically as Lauth's violet.     

Comparison of various detection limit estimates for volatile sulphur compounds by gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection

This paper addresses the variations that presently exist regarding the definition, determination, and reporting of detection limits for volatile sulphur compounds by gas chromatography with pulsed flame photometric detection (GC-PFPD). Gas standards containing hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S), carbonyl sulphide (COS), sulphur dioxide (SO(2)), methyl mercaptan (CH(3)SH), dimethyl sulphide (DMS), carbon disulphide (CS(2)), and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS) in concentrations varying from 0.36ppb (v/v) up to 1.5ppm (v/v) in nitrogen were prepared with permeation tubes and introduced in the gas chromatograph using a 0.25-ml gas sampling loop. After measuring the PFPD response versus concentration, the method detection limit (MDL), the Hubaux-Vos detection limit (x(D)), the absolute instrument sensitivity (AIS), and the sulphur detectivity (D(s)) were determined for each sulphur compound. The results show that the MDL determined by the US Environmental Protection Agency procedure consistently underestimates the minimum concentrations of volatile sulphur compounds that can be practically distinguished from the background noise with the PFPD. The Hubaux-Vos detection limits and the AIS values are several times higher than the MDL, and provide more conservative estimates of the lowest concentrations that can be reliably detected. Sulphur detectivities are well correlated with AIS values but only poorly correlated with MDL values. The AIS is recommended as a reliable and cost-effective measure of detection limit for volatile sulphur compounds by GC-PFPD, since the AIS is easier and faster to determine than the MDL and the Hubaux-Vos detection limit. In addition, this study confirmed that the PFPD response is nearly quadratic with respect to concentration for all volatile sulphur compounds.     

Application of microwave heating to the determination of free, combined and total sulphur in rubber

An atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) method for the determination of total and combined sulphur in rubber and a catalytic method for the determination of free sulphur in rubber are described. The catalytic method is based on the iodine-azide reaction and is followed by an extraction of free sulphur with benzene, toluene or acetone. The catalytic determination, with the aid of gas chromatography, was performed in N,N-dimethylformamide after expelling the more volatile solvents used in the extraction. The calibration is linear over the range 2 × 10⁻⁶ – 3 × 10⁻⁴ M. Before the determination of total and combined sulphur, the rubber samples were decomposed by microwave assisted heating (5 min, 110 W) in a Teflon closed vessel. After microwave heating the solution was clear and homogenous and all sulphur compounds contained in the rubber were quantitatively oxidized to sulphate. The sulphates were then precipitated as BaSO₄ and an excess of barium was determined by AAS. From the difference in the results of the determinations of total and free sulphur the amount of combined sulphur can be calculated, and from the difference in the determinations of total and combined sulphur the amount of free sulphur can be calculated. In the latter case the catalytic analysis is not needed.