Sulfur

Sulfur or sulphur is a naturally occurring, yellow, water insoluble solid element. Its chemical symbol is S, its atomic number is 16 and its atomic weight is 32.064 sulfur is nonmetal and a member of the oxygen family of elements, which constitutes Group VIA of the periodic table. The discovery of sulfur predates recorded history, and the element has been used since ancient times. The early medical books of Dioscorides of Greece and Pliny the Elder mention sulfur, and fumes from burning sulfur were used in religious ceremonies and for fumigation. Alchemists recognized sulfur as a mineral substance that can be melted and burned. It was first classified as an element by Antonie Lavoisier in 1777.

Sulfur Occurrence

On earth, sulfur is widely distributed in its elemental state as a secondary mineral or as a volcanic deposit, as well as in combination with a number of metals. Large sedimentary deposits of the almost pure element, mainly of Tertiary age, are found in the coastal regions of Texas and Lousiana, on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Mexico, and in Sicily, Sulfur occurs in some fossil fuels, most motably coal, in chemical combination with carbon and other elements, its removal is difficult. Sulfur is prevalent in the sulfide ores of iron (pyrite), zinc (sphalerite), and lead (galena). It also occurs as calcium sulfate (gypsum) and barium sulfate (barite). The magnesium and sodium sulfates are present in ocean water and in many mineral waters.

Sulfur occurs in living plant and animal tissue as part of the amino acids cysteine, cystine, and methionine. Organic sulfur compounds occur in garlic, mustard, onion, and cabbage and are responsible for the odor of skunks.

Sulfur Chain

Sulfur can found in the volcano mountain or can also from sulfur mining, the form of sulfur can be a flake or powder in chemical store, but in nature you can see like on the pictures below:

Sulfur stone

take sulfur

Sulfur effect to the lake

Sulfur is used to produce Sulfuric Acid in chemical industry by process solvay. On this plant will produce emission of sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide that very dangerous for civil. Sulfur trioxide very reactive to mucous and respiratory system, make people consciousness in a second contact time. On the industry this gas is eliminated by a certain equipment so can be taken and proceed immediately into sulfuric acid. Accident mass can happen on this plant if there is leakage on the process system, even the leakage gas immediately closed, but small gas released can make fatality.