Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of volatile organic sulfur compounds in contaminated groundwater

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Environmental Chemistry Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A practical method for the quantification of total purgeable organic sulfur (POS) in highly contaminated groundwater is described. Volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSC) are purged from the water samples by a stream of oxygen and combusted. The emerging sulfur dioxide is absorbed in H2O2 and converted to sulfate which is quantified by ion chromatography and reported as mass sulfur equivalent. The overall limit of quantification is 0.03 mg l−1. The content of POS is balanced with the total VOSC determined by GC-AED after liquid–liquid extraction. Separate determination of the non-volatile organic sulfur compounds by direct combustion of the water sample and adsorption to charcoal yielded a mass balance of the total sulfur content. Semi-quantitative GC-MS after purge & trap accumulation revealed that the VOSC mixture is composed of C1–C4 alkyl sulfides. The implementation of the developed methodology for the quantification of VOSC as potential catalyst poison in a cleaning plant for groundwater contaminated with volatile haloorganics (VOX) is presented.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Fabbri D, Locatelli C, Tarabusi S (2001) A new procedure, based on combustion to sulphate and ion chromatography for the analysis of elemental sulphur in sediments. Chromatographia 53(3–4):119–121

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Haberhauer-Troyer C, Rosenberg E, Grasserbauer M (1999) Evaluation of solid-phase microextraction for sampling of volatile organic sulfur compounds in air for subsequent gas chromatographic analysis with atomic emission detection. J Chromatogr A 848(1–2):305–315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim H, Nochetto C, McConnell LL (2002) Gas-phase analysis of trimethylamine, propionic and butyric acids, and sulfur compounds using solid-phase microextraction. Anal Chem 74(5):1054–1060

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kopinke FD, Mackenzie K, Köhler R (2003) Catalytic hydrodechlorination of groundwater contaminants in water and in the gas phase using Pd/γ-Al2O3. Appl Catal B-Environ 44(1):15–24

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ojala M, Ketola R, Mansikka T, Kotiaho T, Kostiainen R (1997) Detection of volatile organic sulfur compounds in water by headspace gas chromatography and membrane inlet mass spectrometry. HRC-J High Res Chrom 20(3):165–169

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prietzel J, Cronauer H, Strehl C (1996) Determination of dissolved total sulfur in aqueous extracts and seepage water of forest soils. Int J Environ An Ch 64(3):193–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rocha-Santos TAP, Gomes MTSR, Duarte AC, Oliveira JABP (2000) A gas chromatography-quartz crystal microbalance for speciation of sulfur compounds in landfill gas. J Environ Monitor 2(3):277–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schuth C, Kummer NA, Weidenthaler C, Schad H (2004) Field application of a tailored catalyst for hydrodechlorinating chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in groundwater. Appl Catal B-Environ 52(3):197–203

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Visan M, Parker WJ (2004) An evaluation of solid phase microextraction for analysis of odorant emissions from stored bio solids cake. Water Res 38(17):3800–3808

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogelgesang J, Hädrich J (1998) Limits of detection, identification and determination: a statistical approach for practitioners. Accred Qual Assur 3(6):242–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wardenicki W (1991) Isolation and determination of volatile organic sulfur compounds in aqueous solutions. Fres J Anal Chem 340(4):207–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wardenicki W (1995) Determination of trace quantities of volatile sulfur-compounds in aqueous solutions by gas chromatography after purge-and-trap isolation and cryogenic focusing. J Microcolumn Sep 7(1):51–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was part of the remedial design of groundwater at an industrial site funded by the Senate of Berlin and the Bundesanstalt für vereinigungsbedingte Sonderaufgaben (BvS, Federal Ministry of Finance). The authors are indebted to Angelika Witt and Dr. Claus Kuhnhardt (BAM) for the measurements and Axel Bernstorff (Harbauer GmbH, Berlin) for the cooperation at the groundwater treatment system.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Richard-Willstaetter-Str. 11, 12489, Berlin, Germany

    Ute Dorgerloh, Roland Becker & Irene Nehls

Authors
  1. Ute Dorgerloh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Roland Becker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Irene Nehls
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ute Dorgerloh.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dorgerloh, U., Becker, R. & Nehls, I. Determination of volatile organic sulfur compounds in contaminated groundwater. Environ Chem Lett 6, 101–106 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-007-0117-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-007-0117-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation