Coupling of organic elemental analysis with flame photometry for sulfur determination at the nanogram level

A new coupling of organic elemental analysis with flame photometric detecti on (OEA-FPD) was developed for the determination of total sulfur at nanogra m levels. The method is based on the combustion of the sample under oxygen at high temperature, further reduction of the gases released, chromatograph ic separation and photometric detection. Combustion, chromatographic detect ion and coupling conditions are described and optimized. The new system is completely automated and fast (5 min per sample) and provides good accuracy , sensitivity and precision [reproducibility (RSD) < 7.5%]. Limits of detec tion were for solids 1.2 ng S and for liquids 0.2 ng S. The method was appl ied to a wide range of solid and liquid samples. Up to 125 analyses can be carried out without changing the combustion reagents.