The Chromatographic Analysis of Reduced Sulfur Gases in Antarctic Waters Following Pre-Concentration onto Tenax

A technique was developed using sparging and pre-concentration onto a Tenax trap at ambient temperature allowing field measurements to be made of reduced sulfur gases in Antarctic marine and glacial melt waters. Following thermal desorption, gases were determined by gas chromatography using a flame photometric detector. Detection limits in ng 1 −1 were: H 2 S 50, OCS 8, SO 2 160, CH 3 SH 6, CH 3 SCH 3 20 and CS 2 2. Storage of melt water samples for more than 24 hours resulted in concentration changes of the reduced sulfur gases present. While the Antarctic environment imposed limitations on the analytical method, an investigation of various pond and marine waters was undertaken.