A low-cost testing option is now available from Columbia Analytical for detecting elemental sulphur (S8) in bulk drywall.
The testing focuses on orthorhombic cyclooctasulfur (elemental sulphur: S8), a unique marker compound found only in drywall that causes corrosion.
Columbia Analytical's method for elemental sulphur uses gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC/ECD) and allows for rapid turnaround of sample results.
The GC/ECD analytical technique offers comparable sensitivity to the GC/MS method also offered by Columbia Analytical, but at a lower cost.
The low-cost GC/ECD analysis allows clients to screen a large volume of drywall samples quickly for S8.
Because drywall used in home construction can be from mixed sources, submission of multiple samples from one suspect home may be carried out to reduce the risk of false negative results.
In addition, confirmatory analysis of drywall for S8 by GC/MS is still available and may be performed on the same sample as the GC/ECD analysis.
Roughly 5g (approximately 2in x 2in) of bulk drywall material is all that is required for this GC/ECD analysis.
Results are reported in units of mg/kg and a result higher than 5mg/kg is typically indicative of corrosive drywall.
