Stable isotopes of sulphur in investigating pollution sources

Determination of sulphur isotope ratio ( super(34)S/ super(32)S) by mass spectrometry is the only method to distinguish anthropogenic sulphur sources from natural ones. Identification of sulphur sources and the compounds of its transformations arc essential in investigating migration of pollutants in the environment. Sulphur isotope ratio can be treated as an environmental tracer, and may be applied to study the distribution of sulphur from coal mining and combustion processes. This study consists in determining sulphur isotope ratio of products from coal and lignite combustion as a method for sulphate migration monitoring. The possibility of applying this method to the monitoring of pollutant migration from landfill deposits of ash from coal combustion and gypsum generated in flue gas treatment installation is presented in this paper.