Determination of sulfur species by cathodic square wave stripping voltammetry; Compounds relevant to natural sulfur mineralization

The feasibility of rapid analysis of a number of environmentally important sulfur compounds by cathodic square wave stripping voltammetry at a mercury electrode has been investigated. For cysteine/cystine a relatively anodic peak was identified, which is ascribed to the stripping of a mercurous species. The dependence of the peak currents on pH was found to be different for cysteine and cystine. Methionine and thioproline gave similar stripping peaks to those for cysteine. It is proposed that they arise from species deposited by oxidative hydrolysis. A complex ion is proposed to cause the stripping peak of thiosulfate and tetrathionate, while polysulfides give both a HgS stripping peak and a non-adsorptive reduction peak. Limits of detection are in the 10(-8)-10(-9)M range.