Sulfur dioxide

Published: November 30, 2006, 9:37 pm

Updated: December 10, 2019, 5:03 am

Contributing Author: C. Michael Hogan

Topics:

Physics & Chemistry (main) Environmental Chemistry (main) Environmental Health (main) Pollution Prevention (main) Atmospheric Science (main) Toxicology (main) Air Pollution & Air Quality (main)

Sulfur dioxide (chemical formula SO₂) is produced by burning sulfur or sulfur-containing compounds. It is also produced by burning coal and, e.g., producing metals from their sulfides, like copper sulfide. Natural (Natural environment) sources of sulfur dioxide are volcanoes and algae-producing di-methyl sulfide, which is converted to sulfur dioxide in the ambient atmosphere.

Sulfur dioxide is used in paper-making and other chemical processes as a bleaching agent. It is formed as the first step in the production of sulfuric acid, which has very wide applications. Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, can contain sulfur from trace amounts to a few percent and the combustion of these fuels results in emissions of sulfur dioxide. The only fossil fuel which can contain little or practically no sulfur is natural gas.

Sulfur emissions by fossil fuel-fired facilities can be greatly reduced (>95%) by the application of wet and dry desulfurization installations, based on either washing with a calcium hydroxide solution or reaction with calcium oxide.

Environmental Impacts

Sulfur dioxide is a respiratory threat to humans and other higher animals. It is also the greatest threat to ocean acidification and as a threat to coral reefs. Western nations have greatly reduced air pollution emissions of sulfur dioxide in recent years; however, China, as well as India, with growing use of coal burning, are expanding producers of sulfur dioxide into the global atmosphere. This is of notable concern, since manufacture of electric vehicle batteries is accomplished by considerable amounts of coal burning, and hence sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide emissions.(Dai et al, 2019)

References

• Qiang Dai, Jarod Kelly, Linda Gaines and Michael Wang (2019) Life Cycle Analysis of Lithium-Ion Batteries for Automotive Applications. Systems Assessment Group, Energy Systems Division, Argonne National Laboratory, DuPage County, Argonne, IL 60439, USA. Batteries 2019, 5(2), 48; https://doi.org/10.3390/batteries5020048
• David R. Lide, ed (2006). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (87th ed.). Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. ISBN0-8493-0487-3.
• A..F. Holleman and E. Wiberg (2001), Inorganic Chemistry, San Diego: Academic Press, ISBN0-12-352651-5
• Norman N. Greenwood and Alan Earnshaw (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. p.700. ISBN0080379419 (Sulfur dioxide).
• C. Michael Hogan. 2010. Abiotic factor. Encyclopedia of Earth. Topic ed. Emily Monosson; Ed.-in-chief Cutler J.Cleveland. Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC

Citation

Sjaak Slanina and C. Michael Hogan (2011, updated 2021). Sulfur dioxide. ed. H. Hanson. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and Environment. Washington DC. Retrieved from http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Sulfur_dioxide