Sulfur and the Environment


This image of sulfur was taken from
the history section in sulfur:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sulfur/

Scott Smith

http://www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go336/smith

This webpage project was created for Dr. Susie Aber's Mineralogy course in November of 2005 at Emporia State University. The purpose of this assignment was to enhance my knowledge of sulfur in the environment.

Table of Contents
  • Introduction
  • Characteristics
  • Mining
  • Effects on Humans and the Atmosphere
  • Sulfur Gallery
  • Resources

    • Introduction

    Sulfur means the burning stone and this may be the result of formation. This mineral forms from volcanoes. It is also called the burning stone because the mineral sulfur burns very easily. Sulfur may be used in fertilizers, sulfuric acid, batteries, metal mining, as well as in the production of organic and inorganic chemicals and refining petroleum. "More sulfuric acid is produced in the United States every year than any other industrial chemical" (Wikipedia, 2005). About 70 percent of the sulfuric acid produced in the United States is used for fertilizers (Elsom, 1987).


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    Characteristics

    Elemental sulfur is a tasteless, odorless nonmetal that is a yellow crystalline solid in nature. Sulfur can take many different forms and habits at room temperature. In addition to the native elemental state of sulfur, it can occur in combination with other ions as pyrite, cinnabar, galena, sphalerite, and barite. These commpounds are formed when the sulfur mineral attaches itself to other metal ions.

    The Chemical Structure of Sulfur
    Images taken from
    http://www.webelements.com/webelements/elements/text/S/xtal.html

    Sulfur can be found in volcanic regions or near hot springs and is most abundant in the Ring of Fire, the area where volcanoes that ring the Pacific Ocean. Sulfur can also be found in meteorites. Indonesia, Japan, and China are among the countries that mine sulfur (Stuedel, 2003).

    Although elemental sulfur is odorless, sulfur readily burns and emits a characteristic smell. It changes from a yellow color to a blue color as it burns and gives off a horrible smell, which is sulfur dioxide (Wikipedia, 2005). This odor has been described as a rotten egg smell, and is the characteristic smell of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is extremely dangerous and more toxic than cyanide (Wikipedia, 2005). Once you smell the gas, your senses become adapted to it so that you can not smell it anymore and may readily become a victim of respiratory paralysis without realizing your exposure to this poisonous gas (Los Alamos National Labs, 2003).

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    Mining

    Sulfur can be mined from salt domes or near volcanic craters. When mining in salt domes, water is forced into the wells while dissolution causes the sulfur to readily be brought to the surface as a liquid. At the surface, sulfur will then re-solidify or crystallize. Also, sulfur can be present in petroleum and crude, which can be extracted safely. To mine near a volcano is an everyday occurrence for some people in Asia and Indonesia (Stuedel, 2003). Not many people mine the way they used to in the early 1900's. Mining in Indonesia consists of using a ceramic pipe to condense the volcanic gas into a liquid that would dry to form pure sulfur on its way to the surface.
    A sulfur mine in Texas. Image taken from
    encarta.msn.com/media_461536436_
    761568357_-1_1/Sulfur_Mining.html

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    Effects on Humans and the Atmosphere

                     
    Image taken from www.ucar.edu/communications/
    ucar25/chemistry.html         		Humans and plants can experience the devastating effects from sulfur (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 2005). Sulfur reacts in the air to make sulfur dioxide. The sulfur dioxide will be absorbed by the leaf cells, then it will combine with water to form a toxic chemical, in turn killing the plant or at least stunting growth. Sulfur can be found in the atmosphere due to the combustion of fuels that contain the element, such as the result of burning coal and petroleum by industries (Wikipedia, 2005). Humans are effected by these air pollutants that can contain some sulfur oxides that combine with moisture in the atmosphere to create sulfuric acid. This acid rain lowers the pH level of soils and freshwater which can cause damage to the environment as well (Wikipedia, 2005). For example, sulfuric acid can corrode metals and limestone used as building materials at a high rate.

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    Resources

    Links about Sulfur

    Return to GO Mineralogy student webpages, www.emporia.edu/earthsci/amber/go336/webpages.htm.

    For more information email smith_scott@stumail.emporia.edu. Webpage creation November 28, 2005; updated on December 8, 2005.