Trace sulfur analysis in hydrocarbon streams

Sulfur impurities are important for the value of the hydrocarbon products. Besides the smell, sulfur components damage catalysts in downstream processes. Therefore very low levels of sulfurs have to be measured. This is usually done using selective detection using SClD, PFPD or FPD. Sulfur gases up to thiols can be separated very well using non polar stationary phases, like Rtx-1, as long as the sulfur component does not elute at the same time as the matrix. For instance COS in propane/propylene, cannot be measured on this column, and we need a different stationary phase. System inertness is essential to be able to measure the sulfurs at those low levels. The best solutions use a unique deactivation, called Sulfinert (or Siltek). This deactivation can be applied on columns, liners, valves, transfer tubing and ample loops. In this webinar several solutions and challenges will be discussed that allow sulfur determination down to ppb levels.

Presenter: Jaap de Zeeuw (Gas Chromatography Specialist, Restek)

Jaap is a world-renowned chromatographer with over 40 years of experience, including 27 years with Varian/Chrompack focusing on industrial analysis challenges. For his 1979 graduation from The Institute for Higher Education, specialized in chemistry, Jaap authored a paper titled "The Challenge of Coating Flexible Fused Silica Capillary Columns" and has since distinguished himself as an authority on the subject. Directly involved with the creation of numerous chemically bonded columns, including the first bonded PEG column and the stabilized PLOT columns widely used in the petrochemical arena, Restek’s international GC specialist has helped develop new techniques, such as fast GC-MS using vacuum GC technology, and has filed two patents for his work. Based out of the Netherlands, Jaap celebrates 10 years with Restek. Jaap is extensively published and regularly travels internationally to share his knowledge.