SELECTIVE CHEMILUMINESCENCE DETECTION OF SULFUR-CONTAINING-COMPOUNDS COUPLED WITH NITROGEN-PHOSPHORUS DETECTION FOR GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY

A new sulfur and nitrogen-phosphorus detector for gas chromatography is described. The detector is an integrated thermionic ionization-chemiluminescence device permitting simultaneous detection of sulfur-containing and nitrogen- or phosphorus-containing compounds. This new flameless detector utilizes a heated rubidium-doped ceramic bead in a thermionic ionization chamber to produce sulfur monoxide from sulfur compounds. The SO is mixed with 0(3) and the resulting chemiluminescence is monitored with a photomultiplier tube, providing sulfur-selective detection. The thermionic ionization detector signal serves as an independent second response channel, affording simultaneous selective and sensitive nitrogen-phosphorus detection. Two chromatograms are obtained, one in which selectivity is exhibited for nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, and the other for sulfur compounds present in the sample.