Trace determination of aqueous sulfite, sulfide and methanethiol by fluorometric flow injection analysis

Preservation of sulfite, sulfide, and methanethiol in buffered formaldehyde and oxaldihydroxamic acid stabilizers has been studied. Flow injection analysis procedures that involve T mixing or membrane-based reagent introduction have been developed for the fast (24 samples/h) analysis of these anions based upon the reaction with N-acridinylmaleimide in a water-N,N-dimethylformamide medium to form a fluorescent product. Detection limits are 0.04, 0.60, and 0.80 ..mu..M, respectively, for the three sulfur species; differential analysis is possible.