Sulfur compounds play an important role in almost all areas of chemistry and biochemistry. In foods, flavors and beverages, for example, sulfur compounds contribute both positive and negative characteristics, and these characteristics are concentration dependent. Therefore, it is important to be able to measure these compounds accurately for product quality control and research.

In the field of petroleum and chemicals, sulfur compounds are usually thought of as detrimental to products and processes. For example, sulfur compounds are toxic and are notorious catalyst poisons. On the other hand, sulfur compounds are used to impart certain properties, for example the addition of mercaptans odorants to natural gas and liquefied petroleum gases.

Sulfur levels in crude oil and natural gas are generally increasing as environmental regulations are requiring lower levels in fuels. These diverging demands require that industry technicians, chemists and engineers be able to improve their understanding of sulfur processes. Analytical instruments for measuring sulfur are the tools that are used to do this. Sulfur chemiluminescence detection technology allows its users to not only measure total sulfur, but individual sulfur species as well, which is frequently more important, and certainly more informative than total sulfur measurements alone.