Studies on the Gas Chromatographic Determination of Mercaptans

Abstract

A series of partitioning agents were studied to determine their ability to separate organic sulfur compounds by gas chromatography. Several columns showed promise, but did not separate organic sulfur compounds from normally occurring atmospheric hydrocarbons. Higher concentrations of organic sulfur compounds in stack gases are separated as metallic salts in a series of impingers. The nature of the precipitated sulfur compound can be determined by gas chromatography after regeneration of the compound by addition of acid to the metallic precipitate.