Polysulfide autoxidation

Furthermore, polysulfide anions are subject to autoxidation if molecular oxygen is present, e.g. ... 

In solution this reaction is rather rapid but in the solid state autoxidation takes place much slower. Nevertheless, commercial sulfides and polysulfides of the alkali and alkali earth metals usually contain thiosulfate (and anions of other sulfur oxoacids) as impurities [6]. For all these reasons the chemistry of polysulfides is rather complex, and some of the earlier studies on polysulfides (prior to ca. 1960) are not very rehable experimentally and/or describe erroneous interpretations of the experimental results. 

The latter reaction has been studied numerous times because of its relevance for the autoxidation of hydrogen sulfide in seawater and other aqueous systems [112, 113]. 8ince the polysulfide ions can be further oxidized to elemental sulfur which precipitates from the solution, these reactions are the basis for several industrially important desulfurization processes (e.g., the 8tretford, 8ulfolin, Lo-Cat, 8ulFerox, and Bio-8R processes) [114] ... 

Autoxidation of aqueous H2S solutions results in elemental sulfur, sulfite, thiosulfate, and eventually sulfate. However, under certain conditions monodispersed sulfur sols with particle diameters of between 0.2 and 1.2 /um are obtained [48]. For example, a solution of H2S of concentration 46 mmol 1 in pure H2O exposed to air at 25 °C became turbid after an induction period of ca. 8 h and then showed briUiant higher-order Tyndall spectra. A solution saturated in H2S exhibited a pH value of 4.1 and was rapidly oxidized in an atmosphere of pure O2. At pH values >8 no elemental sulfur was formed (clear colorless solution), in the range pH=7-8 yellow solutions were obtained (polysulfide anions), while at pH<7 turbid solutions were produced but the induction period was as longer as lower the pH value [48] ... 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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