Products prepared from waste gas streams containing H2S, SO2, and/or NH3

An aqueous compositions comprising at least one sulfur-based compound that is prepared from a gas stream containing at least about 4 mol % of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and/or ammonia (NH3), and containing at least about 0.1 mol % of contaminating refinery hydrocarbons when analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry;

• but wherein the total amount of refinery hydrocarbons in the aqueous composition itself is below the olfactive detection limit after at least 24 hours of storage at room temperature and 60% relative humidity, and wherein a concentrated methylene chloride extract of 200 ml of the aqueous composition includes a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry-detectable amount of at least 1 ppm of contaminating refinery hydrocarbons comprising one or more sulfur-containing, saturated heterocyclic or acyclic compounds having a boiling point of at least about 150° C.