Determination of Hydrogen Sulfide in Anoxic Seawaters by Simplified Gas Chromatography

Abstract

A new simplified method which utilizes gas chromatography for the determination of dissolved hydrogen sulfide in anoxic seawaters is described. From a water sample taken in a Kitahara bottle, an aliquot was sucked into a syringe containing an acetone solution of hydroxylamine hydrochloride. The hydrogen sulfide in the acetone solution was very stable, and the concentration in the initial sample solution was found to be quantitatively determined by treatment not later than 24h after sampling. Concentrations of dissolved hydrogen sulfide in natural waters ranging from 6 to 1250μmol l^-1 (as H₂S) were determined rapidly and precisely by the method presented.