Carbon, Nitrogen, and Sulfur Analysis

Analysis of carbon, sulfur and nitrogen often provide significant characteristics to environmental samples.

Dissolved carbon can be determined using a Shimadzu TOC-5050A Total Organic Carbon Analyzer. Analysis is based on ignition of micro liter volumes of the sample at 700 °C into carbon dioxide that is measured on line by dedicated infra-red cell. The following forms of carbon can be analyzed:

  • Total dissolved inorganic carbon
  • Total dissolved carbon
  • Total non-purgable carbon
  • Other forms of carbon such as total dissolved organic and purgable carbon are obtainable by difference.

Nitrogen species in aqueous samples can be measured as:

  • Total Kjeldahl N (TKN)
  • Ammonia N (NH4-N)
  • Nitrite N (NO2-N)
  • Nitrate N (NO3-N)

Nitrogen species are mostly determined by spectrophotometric methods or by ion chromatography.

Sulfur compounds are usually measured as:

  • Sulfide by spectrophotometric methods
  • Sulfite, thiosulfate and sulfate by ion chromatography
  • Persulfate by redox reactions