Is carbonyl sulfide a precursor for carbon disulfide in vegetation and soil? Interconversion of carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide in fresh grain tissues in vitro

The interconversion of carbonyl sulfide (COS) and carbon disulfide (CS2) wa s studied in the roots and shoots of barley and chickpeas. Ratios of conver sion gases, K, 40 h after the addition of COS or CS2 are recorded. The prop ortion of COS converted to each of CS2, CO, and H2S and the proportion of C S2 converted to COS were greater in roots than in shoots. More COS was conv erted to CS2 than CS2 to COS in roots and shoots of barley and chickpeas. T he amount of COS converted to H2S and CO was 8 times the amount converted t o CS2 in barley and 3-4 times the amount in chickpeas. Carbonyl sulfide may be a precursor for CS2 in vegetation and soil, just as the reverse is true in the atmosphere. These two different rersults might form a cycle of COS and CS2.