ANALYTICAL-CHEMISTRY OF POLYTHIONATES AND THIOSULFATE - A REVIEW

The reaction of hydrogen sulfide with sulfur dioxide in aqueous solution yields Wackenroder's solution, which contains polythionates (SxO62-: x=3, 4 and 5) and thiosulfate. Various reactions of polythionates with such reagents as sulfite, cyanide, sulfide, permanganate and others are reviewed, in which the thiosulfate and/or thiocyanate formed by these reactions of polythionates are measured titrimetrically, spectrophotometrically and coulometrically. As a result, simultaneous equations can be obtained through corresponding different procedures and can be used for the determination of polythionates in their mixtures with other sulfur anions. Furthermore, modern liquid chromatography is described for the separation of polythionates and thiosulfate, in which quite different chromatographic techniques and conditions were employed. © 1990, The Japan Society for Analytical Chemistry. All rights reserved.