Sulfur

Sulfur (or sulphur; see spelling below) is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is an abundant, tasteless, odorless, multivalent non-metal. Sulfur, in its native form, is a yellow crystaline solid. In nature, it can be found as the pure element or as sulfide and sulfate minerals. It is an essential element for life and is found in several amino acids. Its commercial uses are primarily in fertilizers but it is also widely used in gunpowder, matches, insecticides and fungicides.

Environmental Impact

The burning of coal and petroleum by industry and power plants liberates huge amounts of sulfur dioxide SO2, which reacts with atmospheric water and oxygen to produce sulfuric acid. This causes acid rain which lowers the pH of soil and freshwater bodies, resulting in substantial damage to the natural environment and chemical weathering of statues and architecture. Fuel standards increasingly require sulfur to be extracted from fossil fuels to prevent the formation of acid rain. This extracted sulfur is then refined and represents a large portion of sulfur production.

Related Topics:
Coal - Petroleum - Sulfur dioxide - O - Acid rain - PH - Soil - Natural environment - Chemical weathering - Fossil fuel

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