Effect of Sulfur on the Environment - Research Paper Example

Effect of Sulfur on the Environment The life on earth is possible because of many reasons and one among them is sulfur. The sulfur is very essential for humans because they are the major building blocks of the amino acids in the human body. Sulfur is a multivalent, non-metal, tasteless and odorless compound. Sulfur occurs naturally near the volcanoes. (volcanoes.usgs.gov). The native sulfur exists as major deposits in Texas and Louisiana.  The elemental sulfur is not toxic to the environment but the sulfur derivatives are toxic. The sulfur is used in various applications and thus it causes various effects on the human health. The sulfur is found in the air in many forms and when these compounds are inhaled at larger concentrations, it irritates the eyes and throats of the people as well as animal species. Origin of Sulfur: Sulfur occurs naturally in the environment with most of its sediments at the volcanic regions. 2 % of the world’s production is mined out has the elemental sulfur and the remaining percentage is obtained as a co-product, recovered from the oil and gas production. The elemental sulfur is also called as brimstone. The largest production of sulfur occurs wherever the coal and oil is refined and processed. Importance of Sulfur: Sulfur is one of the integral components and an important commodity of the world economy. It is used in the production of Sulphuric acid, batteries, Detergents, fungicides, fertilizers, gun powder, matches, fire works, rubber products, sugars, etc. The use of these sulfur containing materials as part of above applications are very dangerous to the environment. Among these applications, Sulfur is the primary source for the production of Sulphuric acid with over 30 million tones of Sulphuric acid are being produced in US alone. It is used as a dehydrating agent in many industries and it is an essential component in many processes as an intermediate. Sulfur di-oxide is used as a bleaching agent in wood pulping industries and textile industries. It is also used for preserving fruits such as apples, apricots, figs, etc., and for cleaning the vats for the preparation of cheese and wine. Sulfur is also used in the fertilizer industry for the production of the phosphate, nitrogen, potassium and sulphate fertilizers. The plants also need sulfur for its growth, as next to nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, sulfur is an important component for its growth. The sulfur concentration increases the crop yield of the plants in many ways. The sulfur is required for the plant growth and nutrition. It also increases the nutritive value of the plant growth. (sulphurinstitute.org) Environmental effects of Sulfur: As pointed out above, Sulfur and its compounds are the important component in many industries and so it has high chances of impacting the environment. Air pollution by the sulfur di-oxide emission is one of the major environmental problems. Sulfur di-oxide (SO2) is normally emitted during the fossil fuel combustion at power plants. The burning of the coal and oil, the extraction of the gasoline from the oil, metal extraction  from ore, petroleum refineries, cement manufacturers, locomotives, non–road diesel equipments, large ships emits most of the sulfur di-oxide to the air. The SO2 is the primary contributor for acid rain and is a proven detriment for the health of the ecosystems. The SO2 combines with the particulate air pollutants and affects the health. Sulfur that is dug out from the earth is brought back to the earth from the atmosphere by the acid rain. The SO2 released into the atmosphere combines with the water to form the Sulphuric acid. This alters the pH of the rain. The trees are not able to perform the photosynthesis reaction due to this thick deposition and the color of the leaves become yellow. As a result of the reduction in the photosynthesis reaction, the CO2 fixation by the trees reduces. This results in global warming. The wet and dry deposition of the acid rain reaches the ocean and half of the deposition reaches the bottom of the ocean and forms iron sulphite which is observed as a black deposit. (epa.gov).The “acid rain” brings down the acidic components from the atmosphere in both wet and dry forms. The wet deposition refers to the fog, snow and the acidic rain and the dry deposits refers to the settling of the acidic particles on the buildings, cars, trees, etc., Thus, the acid rain causes the acidification of the lakes, streams, etc. Also, the acid rain by settling on the buildings corrodes the building materials, statues and accelerates the decay of the paints. The health effects of these sulfuric compounds include neurological effects, behavioral changes, reproductive failures, disturbance of the hormonal metabolism, lung embolism, liver and kidney damages, hearing defects, vision defects, disturbance of blood circulation, etc. (sulphurinstitute.org) Sulfur Cycle: The sulfur is emitted as sulfur di-oxide and Hydrogen Sulfide into the air. The sulfur di-oxide when it reaches the air, it reacts with oxygen to produce Sulfur tri-oxide and with other compounds to produce sulfur salts. Sulfur di-oxide will also react with the water molecules to produce Sulphuric acid. The sulfuric acid is also produced from the demethyl sulfide produced by the plankton. These particles that are produced in the air are brought back to the earth by the rain. (enviroliteracy.org) Summary of the Sulfur di-oxide Emissions in the United States: According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the total emission of the sulfur di-oxide by the United States in the year 2005 is around 12,000,000 tonnes. The major contribution was done by the electricity generating industries. The Emission details are as follows: (epa.gov) National Sulfur Dioxide Emissions in 2005: Source Sector Total Emissions  ( in tonnes) Electricity Generation 10402756 Fires 36879 Fossil Fuel Combustion 2172886 Industrial Processes 1116099 Miscellaneous 688 Non Road Equipment 362447 On Road Vehicles 145966 Residential Wood Combustion 5263 Solvent Use 593 Waste Disposal 29503 Conclusion: From this analysis, it is clear that although sulfur is an essential compound of all the living organisms, it impacts the environment negatively. The sulfur compounds that are produced by the human activities are now altering the ecosystems .Hence the reduction of the emission of the sulfur is recommended for the preservation of the current ecosystems. The negative alteration in the ecosystem will convert a greater percentage of the biota to the endangered list. Now many countries are taking the necessary steps to reduce the emissions and many legislations are being brought into action. The US Environmental Protection Agency has brought the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for sulfur di-oxide to provide protection against its negative effects. (epa.gov). Also, the use of the natural gas is being maximally recommended by the World Bank. (ifc.org). All the emissions particularly sulfur emissions should be monitored, so that it does not cross the stipulated levels. The infrastructure should also be checked thoroughly at regular intervals to prevent any problems. By following these practices, all the organizations will be ready to face all the inspections of the Environment Agency and importantly can carry on with its functioning in an optimal manner, without impediments Works Cited epa.gov. Sulfur Di-oxide. US Environmental Protection Agency. 17th November 2009. 25th March 2010 http://www.epa.gov/air/sulfurdioxide/health.html enviroliteracy.org. Sulfur Cycle. 31st October 2006. 25th March 2010. http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/1348.html ifc.org. Sulfur Oxides Pollution Prevention and Control. 1998. 25th March 2010. http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/enviro.nsf/AttachmentsByTitle/p_ppah_pguiSulfurOxides /$FILE/HandbookSulfurOxidesPollutionPreventionAndControl.pdf sulphurinstitute.org. FAQs, The sulphur Institute. 25th March 2010 http://www.sulphurinstitute.org/learnmore/faq.cfm volcanoes.usgs.gov. Volcanic gases and their effects. 29th December 2009 http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hazards/gas/index.php Read More