Chromatography of bis-(3-sulfopropyl) disulfide and its breakdown products by HPLC coupled with electrochemical detection

A chromatographic method for the detection of bis-(3-sulfopropyl) disulfide (SPS), a common additive in acidic copper plating baths, and its breakdown products is demonstrated. The detection scheme involves a combination of solid-phase extraction for sample pre-treatment, C-18 reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column for separation, and electrochemical sensor for detection of all non-fully oxidized sulfur-containing compounds. We were able to achieve an effective separation and accurately assign chromatographic peaks to all detectable species. Owing to a high sensitivity of the utilized electrochemical detector, detection in low parts per billion range was possible. This can prove crucial for plating bath control, since minute amounts of certain by-products significantly affect the bath performance.