Otimização de metodologia para determinação de enxofre na forma de sulfato em petróleo pesado por cromatografia de íons

Abstract

Sulfur is the third most abundant element in petroleum and is considered one of the main contaminants present in this matrix, and may occur in the forms of sulfides, thiophenes, polycyclic molecules containing oxygen and nitrogen etc. They can cause corrosion, poisoning of catalysts used in refining and in automobiles. In fuel combustion, when present, they give rise to SOX oxides, which contribute to the formation of acid rain, soil acidity and respiratory problems in the population. Therefore, the determination of sulfur is of primary interest for the petrochemical industry as well as for analytical chemistry. Considering this situation, it is proposed the development of a procedure for the preparation of petroleum samples for the determination of the sulfur content of sulfur (SO4 2-) by Ion Chromatography (IC). For this, the wet decomposition assisted by microwave radiation, assisted by the oxidative action of H2O2, was the adopted procedure, where the maximum temperature and power of 230 °C and 1000 W, respectively, were used in the program of heating. Six petroleum samples (°API between 18.75-5.17) were analyzed, with the mean concentrations of sulfur being between 377.50 and 3321.74 mg Kg-1, with a standard deviation between ± 1.02 and ± 9.56. For the purposes of the evaluation of the obtained results, the sulfur content in the samples under study was evaluated using the UVF technique, based on the official standard ASTM D 5453-12, where correlations between 85.43 and 106.43% were reached, evidencing the efficiency of the method proposed in the conversion of the sulfur species contained in the samples to sulfate and its determination by IC. The efficiency of the adopted decomposition procedure was tested using RCC% and EDMO%, with levels between 6.72 and 15.73% and 85.85 and 94.14% being respectively achieved, demonstrating the efficiency of the decomposition procedure used.