Analysis and characterization of arsenic compounds in natural gas

Arsenic compounds have been found to be present in natural gas. These compounds have been identified as arsine and low-molecular weight trialkylarsines. It is necessary to remove these compounds from the natural gas because there exists a possible environmental hazard associated with arsenic compounds. Hence, new analytical methods are needed for the characterization and analysis of these compounds. A complication arising from the presence of these arsenic compounds in the natural gas is the formation of solid trialkylarsine sulfides. These are products of the reaction between the trialkylarsines and sulfur or sulfur compounds, which ultimately deposit in valves and pressure regulators and have a tendency to clog the gas delivery systems. New analytical methods are also needed for the characterization and analysis of these white solids as well the determination of the manner of the formation of arsine sulfides from the components present in the natural gas.