The effect of CuO substitution by MS ( M = Ni, Fe or Zn) in (Y-123) samples is studied by DC resistivity, AC susceptibility and x-ray emission spectroscopy and diffractometry. All samples show sharp x-ray diffraction patterns with no impurity phase lines for M = Ni, Fe or Zn-doped samples. The cell of Ni-, Zn- or Fe-substituted Y-123 samples remains orthorhombic for all concentrations studied. X-ray emission spectroscopy results show that sulphur atoms enter the lattice of Y-123 compounds and form oxyanion groups. The diamagnetic transitions are sharp for all the small concentrations and become broad for MS doping above 10%. The transition temperature decreases with increasing MS concentration when compared with the undoped sample.