Determination of forms of sulfur in coals and related materials by Eschka digestion and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract

An inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric method for the determination of the forms of sulfur in coal and related materials is described. The sensitivity afforded by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry allows sample masses in the proposed method, which involves traditional extraction techniques, to be reduced to less than one-tenth of that required by standard methods without any loss in precision. The plasma method of detection is more rapid than conventional barium sulfate precipitation techniques and still satisfies the requirements of standard procedures for the forms of sulfur in coal. Statistical analysis of results indicates no significant difference between the proposed procedure and the standard method.