Chromatographic Separation of Higher Polythionates S_nO (n = 3…22) and Their Detection in Cultures of <i>Thiobacillus ferroxidans</i>; Molecular Composition of Bacterial Sulfur Secretions

Abstract

Polythionate ions containing up to 22 sulfur atoms have been separated by ion‐pair chromatography . The ions are formed in mixtures of thiosulfate and chlorosulfanes and upon oxidation of tetra‐ or pentathionate with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans . The sulfur globules formed as intermediates were also investigated. Their core consists mainly of S 8 with polythionate ions on the hydrophilic surface. The eluent consisted of a mixture of acetonitrile and water with a linearly decreasing concentration of (NBu 4 )H 2 PO 4 and Na 2 CO 3 .