The type, amount, and ratios of volcanic gases characterize and can predict impending volcanic activity and its intensity. Changes in CO2 concentration, SO2-CO2 ratios, or halide gas composition may indicate impending volcanic eruptions. Previous analyses indicate that volcanic gases are primarily composed of CO2, water vapor, and SO2 with trace amounts of arsine and halide gases. The samples are diluted by AutoDilution to determine the major components as anions and neutralized by AutoNeutralization to determine the trace gases as anions.

Sour gas is treated with amine and recycled amine (scrubbing) solutions to absorb toxic and undesirable H2S and CO2 create sweet natural gas. Salts of organic acids and sulfur species, heat stable amine salts (HSAS) can concentrate over time. Analysis of these HSAS are needed to assess the efficiency of scrubbing solution and can be quite challenging. In this technical note, HSAS in methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) were separated with high efficiency on a 2 mm i.d. IonPac AS11HC-4μm column using a high pressure ion chromatography system.

The Thermo Scientific Dionex UltiMate 3000 system is applied for the analysis of nicotinic acid and thiocyanate. The separation was performed on a Thermo Scientific Acclaim Mixed-Mode WAX-1 column, with UV detection at 210 nm.

Determination of Anions in an Artificial Volcanic Gas Condensate Sample on 2 mm IonPac AS25 Column. This sample simulates a volcanic gas condensate sample containing 100 mg/L carbonate, 10 mg/L sulfate and ppb to ppm concentrations of halides, sulfite, thiocyanate, and thiosulfate.

Anion Determinations on 4 mm IonPac AS25 and IonPac AG 20 Guard Column for Sulfur Speciation. This column is optimized for sulfur speciation and resolution of sulfate from carbonate. This column is ideal for sulfite determinations in environmental samples.