Technical Bulletin No. 0006: Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Hydrogen Sulfide, Sulfur Dioxide, Mercaptans and Alkyl Sulfides and Disulfides (AQTB)

The attached bulletin presents a gas chromatographic technique for separating and identifying complex mixtures of volatile sulfur compounds of the type found in kraft mill gases. This procedure, which separates mixtures containing hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, mercaptans, and alkyl sulfides and disulfides, has potential application to the study of emissions both at the source and in the general area of mills. This research was conducted for the National Council at Washington State College, under the direction of Dr. Donald F. Adams. Applications of this procedure to the analysis of samples containing large amounts of water vapor may require a prior water separation before analysis, and research is now proceeding along these lines. It is known that several pulp mills and research institutions are investigating the suitability of gas chromatograph for analyzing pulping emissions, and it is hoped that this bulletin will be of assistance to them.