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THE ANALYST. 135 ON THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION OF COAL GAS. By W. C. YOUNG, F.C.S. DOES the presence of sulphur in gas produce sulphuric acid in sufficient quantity by its combustion to be injurious to health or property ? This is a question which has exercised the minds of many for a long period, and was recently warmly debated before a committee of the House of Commons. Having dated to that committee my firm belief that the greater part, if not the whole, of the sulphur is converted into sulphuric acid, I propose to give in this paper, an account of the experiments upon the results of which I based my conviction. The surfaces of varnished wood work, and the moisture condensed upon the cold surfaces of windows exposed in a room where nothing but gas had been used for lighting or heating purposes, gave very strong acid reactions to litmus paper, which acid proved to be sulphuric, and although I found considerably more on the upper part of the room, still the evidence was strong from the lowest portions. This led me to suspend various moistened surfaces in the room, so that by measuring the gas consumed during the time they were hanging, I could ascertain the amount of sulphuric acid deposited upon every square foot for each 100 cubic feet of gas burnt. Ist,-Two square feet of linen, moistened with water : 100 cubic feet of Gas burnt, gave -9 Ba SO4 = *377 H2 SO4 100 cubic feet of Gas = .189 grains HD 804 on 1 square foot. 2nd-One square foot of bibulous paper, moistened with water : 100 cubic feet of Gas burnt, gave 045 Ba so4 = *19 H2 SO4 100 cubic feet of Gas = -19 grains HZ SO4 on 1 square foot, In the foregoing experiments no attempt was made to check the ventilation of the room, which was of the most perfect kind, there being an opening six inches square into the flue close to the ceiling, and another communicating with the outer air, close to the floor. The paper and linen dried in about two hours. 3rd.--Nine inches square of bibulous paper, moistened with weak solution of bicarbonate of soda, suspended a few inches in front of ventilator, in upper part of room : 150 cubic feet of Gas burnt, gave *70 Ba 804 = *293 Hz SO4 100 cubic feet of Gas = .347 grain HO 804 on 1 square foot. 4th-Repetition of 3rd, using weak solution of potash instead of bicarbonate of soda, paper being 4B-inches square : 72 cubic feet of Gas burnt, gzlve 1 Ba SO4 = -42 H2 so4 100 cubic feet of Gas = 4.14 grains H2 SO4 per square foot. The two last experiments show clearly that a great part of the sulphuric acid produced was being removed by the very perfect means of ventilation in use, and the gas did not, at any time during the experiments, contain more than 12 grains of sulphur per 100 cubic feet. These results seem to me to show that whatever the sulphur was resolved into immediately after combustion, it was ultimately converted into sulphuric acid. Having noticed that dust collected in rooms where gas had been much used was strongly acid, I collected some from the top of a wardrobe cupboard, which had been standing in a bedroom undisturbed for six months. The dust was boiled in water, Published on 01 January 1877. Downloaded by University of Pittsburgh on 30/10/2014 09:17:30. View Article Online / Journal Homepage / Table of Contents for this issue

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