Application note: Highly selective analysis of sulfur components in beer

Shimadzu introduces a highly selective analysis method of sulfur components in beer by using sulfur chemiluminescence detection with Nexis SCD-2030.

Many volatile sulfur compounds are known for their unpleasant odour, such as H2S, smelling of rotten eggs. Consequently, sulfur compounds like sulfides or thiols are important substances in the food industry as they can contribute to the flavor impression of a product. The high sensitivity of the human olfactory system to sulfur leads to low flavor threshold values making the analysis of these components a challenging task. Flame photometric detection (FPD) is widely used for sulfur analysis, although it suffers from hydrocarbon quenching and non-linearity of calibration curves. Sulfur chemiluminescence detection (SCD) offers increased selectivity and linearity making this technique a valuable alternative. In this application the sulfur content in beer was investigated exemplarily.