Reviewing the literature, I realized that the ubiquitous technique of gas chromotography- mass spectrometry is rarely used for detection of compounds containing sulfur. Instead flame photometry detection and chemiluminescece detection is widely used.
Mostafa: Part of the reasons that sulfur is not a good chemical that can fly well in GC-MS or other MS techniques, due to its negative charge. The other two methods used its unique wavelength or binding in the detection.
I used GC-Ms for thio-ethers without problems. See J. Agric. Food Chem. 2009, 57, 1282–1290. Additionally, for finding the position of double bonds, compounds are derivatized to thio-ether compounds, see Francis, G.W. "Alkylthiolation for the determination of double-bond position in unsaturated fatty acid esters" Chemistry and Physics of Lipids Volume 29, Issue 4, December 1981, Pages 369-374 and the articles that cite it.
One can use GC MS for the detection of sulfur compounds and its isotope pattern is very useful to determine the no. of sulfur items. Flame photometry is specific detector for sulfur compounds.
Sulfur compounds can have extremely low odour thresholds, GCMS, even in SIM mode, is not always sensitive enough to measure these low concentration. For identification GCMS is a very usefull technique, most mass spectra of organic sulfur compounds are unique.
Interesting discussions. Quantification might also be an argument. The response of GCMS using electron impact ionization depends on the ionization cross-section of the compounds, which varies with the molecular structure. But I think that specificity will be the major reason to choose for flame photometry detection and chemiluminescece detection.
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