Polarographic Determination of Elemental Sulfur in Liquefied Petroleum Gases

Abstract

A method has been developed for the polarographic determination of elemental sulfur present in liquefied petroleum gases in concentrations as low as 0.01 p.p.m. Samples of liquefied petroleum gases are collected in specially fitted stainless steel bombs. After volatilization of the sample, elemental sulfur remaining in the sample bomb is dissolved in a pyridine-methanol-hydrochloric acid solvent and the resulting solution electrolyzed polarographically. ELEMENTAL sulfur in petroleum products presents an important problem in the industry because of the ease with which it is formed and its corrosive nature. In contact with most metals, elemental sulfur reacts to form the metal sulfides.The corrosive action of elemental sulfur on mercury, copper, and silver has been used for some time as a semiquantitative test for sulfur in petroleum products (1,6,9). During recent years more accurate quantitative methods have become increasingly important in the development and evaluation of new refinery processes.

Solid and Gaseous Fuels. Industrial Applications of Analysis, Control, and Instrumentation

“…Gregory and Matsuyama (109) developed a method for the polarographic determination of elemental sulfur in liquefied petroleum gases in concentrations as low as 0.01 p.p.m. Samples of liquefied petroleum gases are collected in specially fitted stainless steel bombs.…”

Electrochemical determination of elemental sulfur in Brazilian naphtha: method and validation

“…Voltammetry in the petroleum industry was initially used in the analysis of sulfur and its compounds, naphthalene and its derivatives, hydroperoxides, antioxidants and trace metals [17]. Table 1 shows some voltammetric applications for elemental sulfur determination in petroleum and its derivatives [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Elemental sulfur has been studied for many decades [17], and few changes have been observed from one methodology to another.…”