Water vapor inhibits hydrogen sulfide detection in pulsed fluorescence sulfur monitors

Anders Brostrøm Bluhme; Jonas L. Ingemar; Carl Meusinger; Matthew Stanley Johnson

doi:10.5194/amt-9-2669-2016

Water vapor inhibits hydrogen sulfide detection in pulsed fluorescence sulfur monitors

Anders Brostrøm Bluhme, Jonas L. Ingemar, Carl Meusinger, Matthew Stanley Johnson

Department of Chemistry

3 Citations (Scopus)

60 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The Thermo Scientific 450 Hydrogen Sulfide- Sulfur Dioxide Analyzer measures both hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and sulfur dioxide (SO₂). Sulfur dioxide is measured by pulsed fluorescence, while H2S is converted to SO₂ with a molybdenum catalyst prior to detection. The 450 is widely used to measure ambient concentrations, e.g., for emissions monitoring and pollution control. An air stream with a constant H2S concentration was generated and the output of the analyzer recorded as a function of relative humidity (RH). The analyzer underreported H2S as soon as the relative humidity was increased. The fraction of undetected H2S increased from 8.3 at 5.3% RH (294 K) to over 34% at RH>80 %. Hydrogen sulfide mole fractions of 573, 1142, and 5145 ppb were tested. The findings indicate that previous results obtained with instruments using similar catalysts should be re-evaluated to correct for interference from water vapor. It is suspected that water decreases the efficiency of the converter unit and thereby reduces the measured H₂S concentration.

Original language	English
Journal	Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Volume	9
Pages (from-to)	2669-2673
Number of pages	5
ISSN	1867-1381
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/amt-9-2669-2016
Publication status	Published - 24 Jun 2016

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title = "Water vapor inhibits hydrogen sulfide detection in pulsed fluorescence sulfur monitors",

abstract = "The Thermo Scientific 450 Hydrogen Sulfide- Sulfur Dioxide Analyzer measures both hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Sulfur dioxide is measured by pulsed fluorescence, while H2S is converted to SO2 with a molybdenum catalyst prior to detection. The 450 is widely used to measure ambient concentrations, e.g., for emissions monitoring and pollution control. An air stream with a constant H2S concentration was generated and the output of the analyzer recorded as a function of relative humidity (RH). The analyzer underreported H2S as soon as the relative humidity was increased. The fraction of undetected H2S increased from 8.3 at 5.3% RH (294 K) to over 34% at RH>80 %. Hydrogen sulfide mole fractions of 573, 1142, and 5145 ppb were tested. The findings indicate that previous results obtained with instruments using similar catalysts should be re-evaluated to correct for interference from water vapor. It is suspected that water decreases the efficiency of the converter unit and thereby reduces the measured H2S concentration.",

author = "Bluhme, {Anders Brostr{\o}m} and Ingemar, {Jonas L.} and Carl Meusinger and Johnson, {Matthew Stanley}",

year = "2016",

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day = "24",

doi = "10.5194/amt-9-2669-2016",

language = "English",

volume = "9",

pages = "2669--2673",

journal = "Atmospheric Measurement Techniques",

issn = "1867-1381",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Water vapor inhibits hydrogen sulfide detection in pulsed fluorescence sulfur monitors

AU - Bluhme, Anders Brostrøm

AU - Ingemar, Jonas L.

AU - Meusinger, Carl

AU - Johnson, Matthew Stanley

PY - 2016/6/24

Y1 - 2016/6/24

N2 - The Thermo Scientific 450 Hydrogen Sulfide- Sulfur Dioxide Analyzer measures both hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Sulfur dioxide is measured by pulsed fluorescence, while H2S is converted to SO2 with a molybdenum catalyst prior to detection. The 450 is widely used to measure ambient concentrations, e.g., for emissions monitoring and pollution control. An air stream with a constant H2S concentration was generated and the output of the analyzer recorded as a function of relative humidity (RH). The analyzer underreported H2S as soon as the relative humidity was increased. The fraction of undetected H2S increased from 8.3 at 5.3% RH (294 K) to over 34% at RH>80 %. Hydrogen sulfide mole fractions of 573, 1142, and 5145 ppb were tested. The findings indicate that previous results obtained with instruments using similar catalysts should be re-evaluated to correct for interference from water vapor. It is suspected that water decreases the efficiency of the converter unit and thereby reduces the measured H2S concentration.

AB - The Thermo Scientific 450 Hydrogen Sulfide- Sulfur Dioxide Analyzer measures both hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Sulfur dioxide is measured by pulsed fluorescence, while H2S is converted to SO2 with a molybdenum catalyst prior to detection. The 450 is widely used to measure ambient concentrations, e.g., for emissions monitoring and pollution control. An air stream with a constant H2S concentration was generated and the output of the analyzer recorded as a function of relative humidity (RH). The analyzer underreported H2S as soon as the relative humidity was increased. The fraction of undetected H2S increased from 8.3 at 5.3% RH (294 K) to over 34% at RH>80 %. Hydrogen sulfide mole fractions of 573, 1142, and 5145 ppb were tested. The findings indicate that previous results obtained with instruments using similar catalysts should be re-evaluated to correct for interference from water vapor. It is suspected that water decreases the efficiency of the converter unit and thereby reduces the measured H2S concentration.

U2 - 10.5194/amt-9-2669-2016

DO - 10.5194/amt-9-2669-2016

M3 - Journal article

SN - 1867-1381

VL - 9

SP - 2669

EP - 2673

JO - Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

JF - Atmospheric Measurement Techniques

ER -

Water vapor inhibits hydrogen sulfide detection in pulsed fluorescence sulfur monitors

Abstract

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