Development of Diffusion - Precipitation Method to Determine AVS Concentrations in Freshwater Sediments

A diffusion - precipitation method was developed to determine acid volatile sulfide (AVS) concentrations in freshwater sediments. This method uses silver nitrate as a sulfide trap solution and the concentration of trapped sulfide is determined gravimetrically. The proposed diffusion - precipitation method is more rapid and less expensive than previously developed purge- and - trap methods. Spiked sodium sulfide recoveries using this method $(97\~120\%)$ were similar with a previously developed diffusion - absorption method $(93.8\~115\%)$ and about $20\%$ greater than a previously developed purge-and-trap method $(74.6\~105\%)$. Detection limit of this method $(0.1\;{\mu}mole\;S\;g^{-l})$ was comparable with that of diffusion-absorption method $(0.06\;{\mu}mole\;S\;g^{-l})$ and purge-and-trap method $(0.05\~0.5\;{\mu}mole\;S\;g^{-l})$.