Development of an Analytical Method for Sulfolane Determination in Plant Tissue

Abstract

Sulfolane (tetrahydrothiophene-1,1-dioxide) is a highly water-soluble industrial solvent used in sour gas processing and oil refining, posing significant risks of environmental contamination and subsequent uptake by vegetation in nearby ecosystems(1). Although its environmental mobility is well documented, far less is known about its behavior in plant tissues. There also remains a lack of analytical methods for the detection of sulfolane in plant tissue that are simple, scalable, and consistent with green chemistry practices. This thesis addresses that gap by developing and validating an analytical method for the extraction and quantification of sulfolane in plant tissue, and by applying advanced chromatographic techniques to characterize sulfolane in environmental samples. Plant uptake theory predicts that highly hydrophilic compounds such as sulfolane are transported primarily with the transpiration stream through plant tissue(2). Consistent with this framework, published studies demonstrate that vegetation exposed to sulfolane contaminated groundwater contains measurable sulfolane in both root and shoot tissues, confirming that plants can absorb and translocate the compound with concentration in the tips of the plant(3,4). To meet this need, a microwave assisted extraction method was developed using water as a microwave absorbing solvent to extract sulfolane from plant tissue samples. This contribution provides a preliminary approach for quantifying sulfolane in plant tissues.