Measurement of biogenic sulfur emissions from soils and vegetation using dynamic enclosure methods: Total sulfur gas emissions via MFC/FD/FPD determinations

Metal foil collection/flash desorption/flame photometric detection (MFC/FD/FPD) was one of the analytical methods used to measure emissions of gaseous, sulfur-containing compounds from several terrestrial natural sources during a cooperative field program in the summer of 1985. Nonspeciated, total sulfur gas emissions were determined by using the MFC/FD/FPD technique in combination with a Nafion Perma-Pure drying device to sample air from three designs of dynamic enclosure chambers. These enclosures were placed over various soil orders and vegetation in the vicinity of field sites in Iowa and Ohio previously examined during the 1977–80 SURE study of biogenic sulfur fluxes. Because of the sensitivity and detection characteristics of the MFC/FD/FPD technique, it was possible to obtain measurements on enclosure air samples that were collected for relatively short time periods,. e.g., 1 to 5 min. The magnitudes of these time-resolved, total sulfur gas emissions are correlated exponentially with internal enclosure air temperatures. Potential errors and uncertainties associated with this application of the MFC/FD/FPD methodology are assessed.The total sulfur gas flux values obtained from this study and the SURE program are compared. Unquantified sources of error in the current two parameter extrapolation model used to calculate regional and global terrestrial source strengths of biogenic sulfur emissions are also summarized and are shown to prevent a reliable estimate of overall uncertainty limits in the resultant inventory.