ON THE DETERMINATION OF VOLATILE THIOLS IN BEER

Abstract
The method of Ikeya for the determination of volatile thiols in beer by aspiration of these compounds into mercuric acetate has been examined. Cadmium acetate has been found to be unsuitable as an absorbant for removing hydrogen sulphide since it also combines with thiols. This reagent has been replaced by aqueous zinc acetate in a separate absorption trap. The proposed modification has the advantage of enabling estimations of hydrogen sulphide and of volatile thiols to be carried out on the same sample.