The Determination of Oxides of Sulfur by X-Ray Emission Spectrometry

Abstract

Determination of sulfur dioxide, sulfur trioxide, or sulfuric acid mist becomes difficult in the presence of other acid gases or where collected samples are highly colored or turbid. A method is described by which all oxides of sulfur are oxidized and precipitated as barium sulfate. The barium in the precipitate is determined by measuring the intensity of the L-alpha emission produced by x-ray excitation. The method is useful for about 0.05 to 10 micromoles of oxides of sulfur in the aliquot analyzed.