Chromatographic and electrophoretic separation of inorganic sulfur and sulfur–oxygen species

Abstract

A review is presented of the use of chromatographic and electrophoretic methods for the separation of inorganic sulfur species in aqueous matrices, with particular emphasis on ion chromatographic methods. The species considered are elemental sulfur, sulfide, polysulfides (Sx2−), sulfite, sulfate, thiosulfate, dithionate, polythionates (SxO62−) and metal–thiosulfate complexes. A brief introduction to sulfur anion chemistry is given, followed by a discussion of the separation and determination of sulfur species using ion chromatography, capillary electrophoresis and other separation-based techniques. Difficulties inherent in the analysis of complex sulfur anion mixtures are indicated and the procedures that have been used to overcome these difficulties are also examined.