Quantification and Characterization of Sulfur in Low-Sulfur Reformulated Gasolines by GC-ICP-MS Application

Reducing total sulfur in motor fuels has become a critical air pollution control goal worldwide. As countries mandate ever lower permissible levels of total sulfur in fuels, the environmental monitoring and fuel manufacturing industries have been forced to find more sensitive techniques for analysis. Gas chromatography coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS) has the capability to meet current and projected detection limits for both total sulfur in reformulated gasolines and individual sulfur species. Additionally, GC-ICP-MS can identify and quantify other volatile organometallic species in fuels. This application note examines the quantification of total sulfur levels (using compound independent calibration) and sulfur speciation in reformulated gasoline.