Chromatography Forum

Does any body know of a way to analyze sulfuric acid by GC. Derivitization method perhaps?? I have found some articles but they are dealing with sulfides (Hydrogen, Dimethly sulfide) in gaseous state using a GCMS.

Im assuming any amount of strong acid on the column is going to foul up my column and possibly the detectors.

I have a FID and a MS available to me. We have used an outside lab to measure this in the past by combustion IC but there results seem to vary to much.
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Ion chromatography is probably the best chromatographic method to measure sulfuric acid.

What concentrations and in what matrix?

It would be at low ppm concentrations. Say 100ppm down to as low as I can go. It would be in mostly Ethyl Levulinate (MW: 144.17, C7H12O3).

While I have seen phosphate derivatized to form a trimethylsilyl derivative - trimethysilyl sulfate will react with hydroxyl groups on glass to silylate the glass. The methyl ester (which might be formed with diazomethane or trimethylsilyl diazomethane) is pretty reactive also, but can be analyzed by GC.

If sulfate is likely to be the only source of sulfur, I would suggest looking at methods for elemental analysis. XRF techniques may be able to get you sulfur values below 1 ppm.