Sorptive Enrichment of Sulfur Compounds from Gaseous Samples on Polydimethylsiloxane

A method has been developed for preconcentrating the volatile sulfur compounds from gaseous samples using a trap filled with a sorption material, polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS), without the need for extensive cryotrapping with liquid cryogens. The system is based on enrichment of the solutes on a packed bed of 50% (w/w) PDMS on solid support without cryotrapping and is then analysed by using thermal desorption followed by capillary column (GS‐GASPRO) gas chromatography with simultaneous sulfur‐selective detection. The practicality of the system was demonstrated by the analysis of natural gas. Using the system described here, the sulfur gaseous compounds known to cause nuisance odors in the natural gas could be quantitatively trapped. The application of 50% PDMS on silcoport™ for the analysis of sulfur compounds from gaseous samples has been proved to be useful.