Sulfur Compound and Metabolism Profiling Service

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What Is Sulfur Metabolism and Why Analyze Sulfur Compounds?

Sulfur is a central element in both biological systems and industrial processes. In living organisms, it participates in redox regulation, enzyme activation, amino acid synthesis, and structural stabilization through cysteine, methionine, and glutathione pathways. In industrial and bioprocess settings, sulfur compounds influence product yield, stability, and even sensory quality—particularly in fermentation, pharmaceuticals, and food production.

Analyzing sulfur metabolism and sulfur-containing compounds provides essential insights into redox balance, metabolic flux, and product quality control. Through accurate speciation—distinguishing sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, and organosulfur species—researchers can connect biochemical pathways with process performance or environmental behavior.

For R&D teams, such analysis supports:

Monitoring sulfur flux in cell cultures or fermentation systems.
Identifying unwanted sulfur contaminants or volatile compounds.
Evaluating antioxidant and redox-active metabolites under stress or formulation changes.

By integrating targeted sulfur compound profiling, Creative Proteomics helps clients translate complex sulfur chemistry into actionable, decision-ready data.

What's Included in Our Sulfur Analysis Service

Creative Proteomics offers targeted sulfur analysis that address the full complexity of sulfur metabolism. Each module is optimized for a specific class of sulfur compounds or analytical objective, allowing clients to choose the combination that best fits their research or quality control needs.

Our service includes the following analytical project types:

Redox-focused thiol panels – Tailored to measure reduced and oxidized thiols in parallel, preserving native redox status through stabilizing reagents and derivatization workflows.
Inorganic sulfur tracking – Designed for environmental, fermentation, or stress biology studies, this panel quantifies reactive sulfur oxyanions involved in redox cycling.
Volatile sulfur compound profiling – Enables trace detection of sulfur volatiles that influence flavor, safety, or metabolic state, using gas-phase separation and sulfur-selective detection.
Sulfur amino acid metabolism mapping – Covers key intermediates in methionine and taurine pathways, useful for understanding nutritional status, metabolic flux, or engineered strain behavior.
Sulfolipid investigation – Supports studies involving sulfur-linked lipids such as SQDG, relevant in microbial lipidomics and stress responses.
Total sulfur evaluation – Applicable for raw material screening, process monitoring, or formulation consistency checks.

Each of these analysis modules can be requested individually or bundled as part of a customized target panel, depending on sample type, detection limits, and research objectives.

Full Analyte List: Representative Sulfur Compounds We Detect

Category	Representative Compounds
Inorganic Sulfur Species	Sulfate (SO₄^2-), Sulfite (SO₃^2-), Thiosulfate (S₂O₃^2-), Free sulfide (HS^-), Elemental sulfur (S⁰)
Thiols & Disulfides	Cysteine, Cystine, Glutathione (GSH, GSSG), Homocysteine, Cysteinylglycine (Cys-Gly), N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
Oxidized Derivatives	Cysteic acid, Cysteine sulfinic acid, Methionine sulfoxide, Methionine sulfone
Volatile Sulfur Compounds	Dimethyl sulfide (DMS), Dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), Dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), Methanethiol (CH₃SH), Allyl/Propyl sulfides
Sulfur-Containing Amino Acids	Methionine, Taurine, Hypotaurine, S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH)
Sulfur-Linked Lipids	Sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerols (SQDGs), Other sulfolipids (upon request)
Total Sulfur (Bulk Measures)	Elemental sulfur (solid/liquid), Total sulfur content (ICP-MS/OES or combustion-IR methods)

Why Choose Our Sulfur Analysis Service?

Quantitative Speciation (R² ≥ 0.995):

All sulfur species are quantified against multi-point standard curves with isotope-labeled internal standards where applicable.

Thiol Stability Preserved:

On-receipt derivatization (e.g., with NEM, mBBr) prevents thiol oxidation, ensuring accurate GSH/GSSG and Cys/Cystine ratios.

Matrix-Matched Recovery (85–115%):

Calibration is performed in matched matrices (serum, broth, buffers) to minimize suppression; spike recovery data is reported per batch.

Dual Volatile + Non-Volatile Coverage:

LC–MS/MS + GC–SCD platforms detect both stable metabolites and low-ppb volatiles like DMS and methanethiol.

Low CV% Across Replicates:

Method CVs typically ≤8% for most species in clean matrices; precision data is included with results.

Main Techniques for Sulfur and Sulfur Compound Quantification

Our sulfur compound analysis service is built on three core analytical platforms, each selected based on compound class, matrix complexity, and required sensitivity. These methods support accurate quantification of both inorganic and organosulfur species, including redox-active thiols and trace-level volatiles.

Main Analytical Platforms

Method	Instruments	Typical Applications	Key Parameters
LC–MS/MS	Agilent 6495C	Thiols (Cys, GSH, GSSG), sulfur amino acids, oxidized derivatives	Derivatization (e.g., NEM, mBBr), isotope-dilution MRM, LOQ ~ nM
IC–ICP-MS	Thermo ICS-6000 + iCAP RQ ICP-MS	Inorganic sulfur species (SO₄^2-, SO₃^2-, S₂O₃^2-, HS^-)	Gradient elution, element-specific detection, R² ≥ 0.995
GC–MS / GC–SCD	Agilent 7890/5977B + Sulfur Chemiluminescence Detector	Volatile sulfur compounds (DMS, methanethiol, DMDS)	Headspace-SPME, sulfur-specific detector, sub-ppb sensitivity

Agilent 6495C Triple Quadrupole (Figure from Agilent)

iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS

iCAP RQ ICP-MS (Figure from Thermo)

7890B Gas Chromatograph + 5977 Single Quadrupole

Agilent 7890B-5977B (Figure from Agilent)

Sulfur Compound Analysis Workflow: From Sample Prep to Data Delivery

Sample Intake & Panel Confirmation

Define matrix type, compound class (e.g., thiols, inorganics, volatiles), and reporting requirements. Stabilizing agents are provided if needed.

Preprocessing & Derivatization

Apply thiol-specific derivatization (e.g., NEM, mBBr) to protect redox-sensitive targets. Prepare matrix using filtration, clarification, or digestion as appropriate.

Instrument Assignment

LC–MS/MS → For low-molecular-weight thiols and sulfur amino acids
IC–ICP-MS → For sulfate, sulfite, thiosulfate, and other ionic species
GC–MS/SCD → For volatile organosulfur compounds (e.g., DMS, CH₃SH)

Quantitative Analysis & QC

Run samples with matrix-matched standards, recovery spikes, and precision replicates. Monitor key QC metrics: R² ≥ 0.995, recovery 85–115%, CV% ≤ 10%.

Data Processing & Reporting

Deliver raw concentrations, speciation ratios (e.g., GSH/GSSG), chromatograms, and QC summaries in a structured report format. Visual summaries are included on request.

How to Prepare and Submit Samples for Sulfur and Sulfur Compound Analysis

Matrix Type	Minimum Volume / Mass	Recommended Container	Preservative or Treatment	Storage & Shipping	Notes
Cell lysate / tissue	50–100 mg or ≥200 µL	Low-bind tube (1.5 mL)	Add thiol stabilizer (e.g., NEM or IAA)	Cold chain, protect from light	Avoid repeated freeze–thaw cycles
Culture supernatant / media	≥500 µL	Polypropylene vial, tightly capped	Optional thiol stabilizer	Cold chain transport	Record additives and pH
Serum / plasma	≥200 µL	EDTA or heparin tube, aliquoted	Add stabilizer if thiol analysis required	Keep cold during transit	Avoid hemolysis
Fermentation broth	≥5 mL	Sterile sampling bottle	Mix gently before transfer	Ship refrigerated	Note fermentation stage
Powder / solid material	≥1 g	Clean sealed jar or glass vial	None required	Ambient or refrigerated (as suitable)	Provide SDS or composition sheet
Food / beverage sample	≥100 mL or 200 g	Food-grade bottle	None required	Cold chain recommended	Note carbonation/alcohol content
Buffers / excipients	≥5 mL	Compatible chemical-resistant vial	None required	Cold chain shipping	Provide formulation details

Deliverables: What You Receive from Sulfur Compound Analysis

Analytical Report (PDF): Compound list, methods, calibration, and QC summary.
Processed Data (Excel/CSV): Concentrations, LOD/LOQ, recoveries, and CV%.
Raw Files: LC–MS/MS, IC–ICP-MS, GC–MS data with metadata and logs.
Chromatograms & Spectra: Annotated peaks, calibration plots, and overlays.
Visual Summaries: Redox ratios, speciation charts, and time-course trends.
QC Appendix: Linearity (R²), recovery %, blanks, and stability metrics.
Optional Add-ons: Custom dashboards or sulfur pathway mapping.

Line chart showing time-dependent concentration trends of sulfate, sulfite, and thiosulfate with error bars.

Sulfur Speciation Time-Course Plot

Bar and dot overlay plot comparing GSH/GSSG ratios in control and treated samples with statistical significance marker.

GSH/GSSG Redox Ratio Comparison

Overlay chromatogram of volatile sulfur compounds with labeled peaks for DMS, DMDS, and methanethiol.

Volatile Sulfur Compound Chromatogram Overlay (GC–SCD)

Heatmap showing pairwise Pearson correlations among sulfur metabolites with cyan–white–purple gradient and clustering dendrogram.

Sulfur Metabolite Correlation Heatmap (LC–MS/MS Quant Data)

Where Amino and Nucleotide Sugar Analysis Makes an Impact

Metabolic Research

Evaluate redox balance, oxidative stress, and sulfur flux in cellular systems.

Fermentation Process Control

Monitor sulfur species to optimize microbial growth and product quality.

Environmental Chemistry

Track sulfate, sulfite, and sulfide dynamics in water, soil, or bioreactors.

Food and Flavor Science

Detect volatile sulfur compounds influencing aroma and sensory properties.

Material and Polymer Testing

Quantify total sulfur or additives affecting stability and performance.

Pharmaceutical Development

Assess sulfur-containing intermediates, excipients, or degradation pathways.

What factors should be considered when selecting a sulfur compound analysis method?

The choice depends on compound type, volatility, and redox stability. LC–MS/MS is suited for thiols and sulfur amino acids, IC–ICP-MS for inorganic sulfur species like sulfate or sulfite, and GC–SCD for volatile sulfur compounds. Combining these techniques ensures comprehensive coverage from polar metabolites to trace volatiles while maintaining accuracy through matrix-matched calibration.

How does Creative Proteomics ensure the stability of thiols during analysis?

Thiol-containing compounds are prone to oxidation. To preserve their native redox state, stabilizing reagents such as NEM or mBBr are applied upon sample receipt. This derivatization step prevents artificial oxidation or loss, allowing accurate quantification of GSH, GSSG, cysteine, and related metabolites.

Can this service support comparative metabolomics between treatment groups or conditions?

Yes. The workflow is compatible with comparative and quantitative metabolomics studies. Data normalization and quality control enable precise comparisons of sulfur flux, redox balance, and metabolic pathway alterations across different biological or experimental conditions.

What types of samples are suitable for sulfur metabolism analysis?

A wide range of matrices can be analyzed, including cell lysates, serum, fermentation broths, environmental water, or food extracts. Sample-specific preparation steps—such as filtration, stabilization, or derivatization—are optimized to maintain recovery and prevent compound degradation.

How are volatile sulfur compounds detected with high sensitivity?

Volatile species like DMS, DMDS, and CH₃SH are captured by headspace-SPME and detected using sulfur-selective GC–SCD. This platform provides sub-ppb sensitivity, enabling precise monitoring of aroma-active or process-related sulfur volatiles even in complex matrices.

How does sulfur compound analysis contribute to broader metabolomics studies?

Sulfur compounds are deeply connected to energy metabolism, antioxidant defense, and amino acid turnover. Integrating sulfur analysis within metabolomics datasets provides a clearer view of redox networks and metabolic regulation, enabling more complete biological interpretation and pathway modeling.

MS-CETSA functional proteomics uncovers new DNA-repair programs leading to Gemcitabine resistance

Nordlund, P., Liang, Y. Y., Khalid, K., Van Le, H., Teo, H. M., Raitelaitis, M., ... & Prabhu, N.

Journal: Research Square

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4820265/v1

High Levels of Oxidative Stress Early after HSCT Are Associated with Later Adverse Outcomes

Cook, E., Langenberg, L., Luebbering, N., Ibrahimova, A., Sabulski, A., Lake, K. E., ... & Davies, S. M.

Journal:Transplantation and Cellular Therapy

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtct.2023.12.096

Multiomics of a rice population identifies genes and genomic regions that bestow low glycemic index and high protein content

Badoni, S., Pasion-Uy, E. A., Kor, S., Kim, S. R., Tiozon Jr, R. N., Misra, G., ... & Sreenivasulu, N.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2410598121

The Brain Metabolome Is Modified by Obesity in a Sex-Dependent Manner

Norman, J. E., Milenkovic, D., Nuthikattu, S., & Villablanca, A. C.

Journal: International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25063475

UDP-Glucose/P2Y14 Receptor Signaling Exacerbates Neuronal Apoptosis After Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in Rats

Kanamaru, H., Zhu, S., Dong, S., Takemoto, Y., Huang, L., Sherchan, P., ... & Zhang, J. H.

Journal: Stroke

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.044422

Pan-lysyl oxidase inhibition disrupts fibroinflammatory tumor stroma, rendering cholangiocarcinoma susceptible to chemotherapy

Burchard, P. R., Ruffolo, L. I., Ullman, N. A., Dale, B. S., Dave, Y. A., Hilty, B. K., ... & Hernandez-Alejandro, R.

Journal: Hepatology Communications

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/HC9.0000000000000502

Comparative metabolite profiling of salt sensitive Oryza sativa and the halophytic wild rice Oryza coarctata under salt stress

Tamanna, N., Mojumder, A., Azim, T., Iqbal, M. I., Alam, M. N. U., Rahman, A., & Seraj, Z. I.

Journal: Plant‐Environment Interactions

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pei3.10155

Teriflunomide/leflunomide synergize with chemotherapeutics by decreasing mitochondrial fragmentation via DRP1 in SCLC

Mirzapoiazova, T., Tseng, L., Mambetsariev, B., Li, H., Lou, C. H., Pozhitkov, A., ... & Salgia, R.

Journal: iScience

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.110132

Physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic insights of three extremophyte woody species living in the multi-stress environment of the Atacama Desert

Gajardo, H. A., Morales, M., Larama, G., Luengo-Escobar, A., López, D., Machado, M., ... & Bravo, L. A.

Journal: Planta

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-024-04484-1

A personalized probabilistic approach to ovarian cancer diagnostics

Ban, D., Housley, S. N., Matyunina, L. V., McDonald, L. D., Bae-Jump, V. L., Benigno, B. B., ... & McDonald, J. F.

Journal: Gynecologic Oncology

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygyno.2023.12.030

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is prevented by dietary prune in female mice

Chargo, N. J., Neugebauer, K., Guzior, D. V., Quinn, R. A., Parameswaran, N., & McCabe, L. R.

Journal: Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1324649

Proteolytic activation of fatty acid synthase signals pan-stress resolution

Wei, H., Weaver, Y. M., Yang, C., Zhang, Y., Hu, G., Karner, C. M., ... & Weaver, B. P.

Journal: Nature Metabolism

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-023-00939-z

Quantifying forms and functions of intestinal bile acid pools in mice

Sudo, K., Delmas-Eliason, A., Soucy, S., Barrack, K. E., Liu, J., Balasubramanian, A., … & Sundrud, M. S.

Journal: bioRxiv

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.02.16.580658

Elevated SLC7A2 expression is associated with an abnormal neuroinflammatory response and nitrosative stress in Huntington's disease

Gaudet, I. D., Xu, H., Gordon, E., Cannestro, G. A., Lu, M. L., & Wei, J.

Journal: Journal of Neuroinflammation

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-024-03038-2

Thermotolerance capabilities, blood metabolomics, and mammary gland hemodynamics and transcriptomic profiles of slick-haired Holstein cattle during mid lactation in Puerto Rico

Contreras-Correa, Z. E., Sánchez-Rodríguez, H. L., Arick II, M. A., Muñiz-Colón, G., & Lemley, C. O.

Journal: Journal of Dairy Science

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23878

DNA stimulates SIRT6 to mono-ADP-ribosylate proteins within histidine repeats

Pederson, N. J., & Diehl, K. L.

Journal: bioRxiv

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.31.606047

Glycine supplementation can partially restore oxidative stress-associated glutathione deficiency in ageing cats

Ruparell, A., Alexander, J. E., Eyre, R., Carvell-Miller, L., Leung, Y. B., Evans, S. J., ... & Watson, P.

Journal: British Journal of Nutrition

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114524000370

Untargeted metabolomics reveal sex-specific and non-specific redox-modulating metabolites in kidneys following binge drinking

Rafferty, D., de Carvalho, L. M., Sutter, M., Heneghan, K., Nelson, V., Leitner, M., ... & Puthanveetil, P.

Journal: Redox Experimental Medicine

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/REM-23-0005

Sex modifies the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus on the murine whole brain metabolome

Norman, J. E., Nuthikattu, S., Milenkovic, D., & Villablanca, A. C.

Journal: Metabolites

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo13091012

A human iPSC-derived hepatocyte screen identifies compounds that inhibit production of Apolipoprotein B

Liu, J. T., Doueiry, C., Jiang, Y. L., Blaszkiewicz, J., Lamprecht, M. P., Heslop, J. A., ... & Duncan, S. A.

Journal: Communications Biology

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04739-9

Methyl donor supplementation reduces phospho‐Tau, Fyn and demethylated protein phosphatase 2A levels and mitigates learning and motor deficits in a mouse model of tauopathy

van Hummel, A., Taleski, G., Sontag, J. M., Feiten, A. F., Ke, Y. D., Ittner, L. M., & Sontag, E.

Journal: Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/nan.12931

Sex hormones, sex chromosomes, and microbiota: identification of Akkermansia muciniphila as an estrogen-responsive bacterium

Sakamuri, A., Bardhan, P., Tummala, R., Mauvais-Jarvis, F., Yang, T., Joe, B., & Ogola, B. O.

Journal: Microbiota and Host

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1530/MAH-23-0010

Living in extreme environments: a photosynthetic and desiccation stress tolerance trade-off story, but not for everyone

Gajardo, H. A., Morales, M., López, D., Luengo-Escobar, M., Machado, A., Nunes-Nesi, A., ... & Bravo, L.

Journal: Authorea Preprints

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/au.168311184.42382633/v2

Resting natural killer cell homeostasis relies on tryptophan/NAD+ metabolism and HIF‐1α

Pelletier, A., Nelius, E., Fan, Z., Khatchatourova, E., Alvarado‐Diaz, A., He, J., ... & Stockmann, C.

Journal: EMBO Reports

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.202256156

Function and regulation of a steroidogenic CYP450 enzyme in the mitochondrion of Toxoplasma gondii

Asady, B., Sampels, V., Romano, J. D., Levitskaya, J., Lige, B., Khare, P., ... & Coppens, I.

Journal: PLoS Pathogens

Year: 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1011566

Sulfur Metabolism and Sulfur Compound Profiling Services

What Is Sulfur Metabolism and Why Analyze Sulfur Compounds?

What's Included in Our Sulfur Analysis Service

Full Analyte List: Representative Sulfur Compounds We Detect

Why Choose Our Sulfur Analysis Service?

Main Techniques for Sulfur and Sulfur Compound Quantification

Main Analytical Platforms

Sulfur Compound Analysis Workflow: From Sample Prep to Data Delivery

How to Prepare and Submit Samples for Sulfur and Sulfur Compound Analysis

Deliverables: What You Receive from Sulfur Compound Analysis

Where Amino and Nucleotide Sugar Analysis Makes an Impact