The Element Sulfur

Sulfur is the tenth abundant element in the universe and has been known for a long time. About 1777, Antoine Lavoisier was convinced that other members of the scientific community believed that sulfur was an element. Sulfur is a large amount of sulfur such as galena (PbS), gypsum (CaSO 4 · 2 (H 2 O), pyrite (FeS 2), zinc blende (ZnS or FeS), cinnabar (HgS), stevenite (STUnite knight) Sb 2 S 3), Epsom salts (MgSO 4) · 7 (H 2 O), Lapis lazuli (SrSO 4) and Barytes (BaSO 4). Approximately 25% of sulfur produced today is recovered from petroleum refining operations and is used as a by-product of the extraction of other substances from sulfur-containing ores. Most of the sulfur produced today comes from subsurface sediments that are usually found with salt deposits, the process of which is called the Frasch process.

Sulfur is pale yellow, odorless and fragile. It shows three isomorphic forms of orthogonal, monoclinic, and amorphous. The orthorhombic form is the most stable form of sulfur. The monoclinic sulfur is present at a temperature between 96 ° C and 119 ° C and returns to the orthorhombic form on cooling. When the molten sulfur is rapidly cooled, amorphous sulfur is formed. Amorphous sulfur is soft and elastic, finally returning to orthorhombic

Most of the sulfur produced is used for the production of sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4). Every year, large amounts of sulfuric acid (about 40 million tons) are used for the manufacture of fertilizer, lead-acid batteries, and many industrial processes. When preparing explosives, and as a dyestuff, insecticide (Greek poet Homer mentioned "to avoid pests"), vulcanize natural rubber with a small amount of sulfur.

In addition to sulfuric acid, sulfur forms other interesting compounds. Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is a gas that smells like a rotten egg. Sulfur dioxide (SO 2) formed by burning sulfur in air is used as bleach, solvent, disinfectant and refrigerant. When combined with water (H 2 0), sulfur dioxide forms sulfurous acid (H 2 SO 3). This is a weak acid which is the main component of acid rain.

Elemental sulfur is one of the oldest fungicides and insecticides. "Dust Iow", a powdered elemental sulfur, is a common disinfectant for grapes, strawberries, many vegetables and several other crops. It has effects on a wide range of powdery mildew and dark spots. Sulfur is the most important fungicide in organic production. Under cold conditions, it is the only disinfectant used for the production of organic cultivated apple against the main diseases, scab of apple. Bio-sulfur (biologically produced elemental sulfur with hydrophilicity) can also be used for these applications

Sulfur or sulfur is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It is rich, multivalent, and non-metallic. Under normal conditions, the sulfur atom forms the cyclic octa atomic molecule of formula S 8. Elemental sulfur is a brilliant yellow crystalline solid at room temperature. Chemically, sulfur reacts with all elements except gold, platinum, rhodium, ruthenium and noble gases. Sulfur is the tenth most common element of mass in the universe and is the fifth most common element on the planet. Although sometimes present in purely natural form, sulfur on the earth usually exists in the form of sulfides and sulfate minerals. Sulfur is known for its natural form, it has been used for a long time as ancient India, ancient Greece, China, Egypt. In the Bible, sulfur is called sulfur. Today, almost all elemental sulfur is a by-product of the removal of sulfur pollutants from natural gas and petroleum.