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New Methods for Measurement of Sulfur in Fossil Fuels

Summary

The Environmental Chemical Sciences Group has developed isotope dilution microwave induced combustion sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-MIC-SF-ICP-MS) as a new measurement method for the determination of sulfur in coals.

Description

NIST has a long history of developing high accuracy analytical methods and SRM materials for trace elements in fossil fuels.  NIST has applied the microwave induced combustion methodology in combination with isotope dilution analysis for sulfur determinations, representing the first-reported combination of this robust sample preparation methodology and high-accuracy quantification approach. Medium-resolution mode sector-field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry is utilized to avoid spectral interferences on the sulfur isotopes. 

Graphical Depiction of the Microwave Induced Combustion Process for S Determination in Coal SRMs
Graphical Depiction of the Microwave Induced Combustion Process for S Determination in Coal SRMs


 

Created October 5, 2016, Updated August 9, 2019