Electroanalytical Chemistry of Sulfur Compounds For the New Coal Conversion Technologies

Abstract
Polarographic methods are described “tailor-made” for the speciation and determination of sulfur contaminants in synfuels and coal gasification/liquefaction process streams. In samples containing the anions, S2− x, sulfidic sulfur was quantitated by anodic depolarization of the dropping mercury electrode, while polysulfidic sulfur was determined with the aid of an electroreduction process implicating 2(x-1) electrons. Polythionates were electroreduced to thiosulfate, sulfite, sulfide and/or mixtures thereof, under judiciously controlled experimental conditions. Thiosulfate and sulfite were quantitated by differential pulse polarography at dropping mercury anodes via reactions involving formation of thiosulfato- and sulfitomercurates.