Sulfur has been declared by scientists to be the ninth most common element in the universe, and is present
in many forms throughout the natural world. Whilst we may be most familiar with sulfur in the form of native sulfur deposits found near volcanoes, or perhaps refined powdered elemental sulfur obtained from natural gas and crude oil, sulfur has also been detected on asteroids, in the Moon, and even on Jupiter. It is also a common element closer to home being present in small amounts in plants, animals, and even our own bodies.
Since the beginning of recorded history, sulfur has played a role both in human commerce and folklore, being branded ‘brimstone’ by ancient civilizations which associated its vibrant coloration and rotten odor with infernal activities. There are few commodities which were traded in ancient times and are still traded in significant quantities today, but sulfur has been in demand since man first braved the sulfur dioxide and hydrogen sulfide rich volcanic clouds to capture the bright yellow treasure.
General Properties of Sulfur
Sulfur is something of a strange material. At room temperature it assumes a solid crystalline form which boasts a stunning bright yellow coloration, however when molten it takes on a deep red color, and when lit it burns with a bright blue flame. Sulfur melts at 115 degrees Celsius, and boils at 444 degrees Celsius.
Elemental sulfur is insoluble in water, and is not a good conductor of electricity. At room temperature, sulfur is a solid, most often taking on a orthorhombic crystalline structure, though others are possible. Sulfur readily forms sulfides and sulfates when it combined with other elements and metals, with notable exceptions to this rule being silver and gold.
Uses of Sulfur
Sulfur is used in a wide range of applications. From being an essential ingredient in the process of vulcanizing rubber, to combating acne, sulfur is a very versatile element, which explains why it has been in such great demand for centuries. Sulfur is of course the basic ingredient of sulfuric acid, which is the most widely manufactured acid in the world. Sulfur also finds uses in gun powder, explosives, medicines, cosmetics, fungicides, pesticides, fumigants, matches, cements and animal feed, to name but a few.
Types of Sulfur
Sulfur can be found in many different states. Below are some common terms associated with commercially traded sulfur and related sulfur products.
Elemental Sulfur
Elemental sulfur is normally defined as sulfur which is more than 99.5% pure. In its most pure state, sulfur has no odor, is tasteless, and forms yellow crystals at room temperature. Elemental sulfur can be refined from crude or native sulfur, or extracted from natural gas or crude oil.
Crude Sulfur
Crude sulfur is a term given to sulfur mined from natural deposits which is tainted with impurities. Crude sulfur is also sometimes known as brimstone, and is often found near regions of volcanic activity, where oxidation reactions form sulfur dioxide, which smells like matches, only much more strongly, and hydrogenation of sulfides creates hydrogen sulfide which is responsible for the familiar ‘rotting egg’ smell that is commonly associated with sulfur.
Native Sulfur
Native sulfur is sulfur which can be found in natural crystalline form, usually in deposits around areas of high volcanic activity. Native sulfur is also sometimes known as ‘free sulfur’.
Elemental Sulfur Extraction
The bulk of the world’s sulfur is now extracted from natural gas and crude oil. Historically sulfur was obtained exclusively by mining, and sulfur mining is a tradition which stretches back around three thousand years, with records of Sicilian sulfur being traded as early as 900 BCE. Sulfur mining continues today in some parts of the world, however the practice has dwindled drastically in the past ten years or so, thanks to developments such as the Claus process which have enabled sulfur to be removed from crude oil and natural gas where it is not wanted, and to be converted from a poisonous gas into a useful and tradeable form.
Once little more than a toxic nuisance, hydrogen sulfide, the foul smelling gas which earned native sulfur deposits their moniker ‘brimstone’, has now become the primary source of sulfur in the world. Hydrogen sulfide doesn’t just smell bad, it is also extremely toxic and can cause death if inhaled in large amounts, though perhaps counter intuitively, there are small amounts of hydrogen sulfide naturally present in the healthy human body. It is important that care is taken when one is exposed to hydrogen sulfide as it quickly dulls the sense of smell, lulling people into a sense of security even as they are slowly poisoned to death.
The Claus Process
The Claus process is one by which hydrogen sulfide is removed from natural gas, crude oil and other similar substances, and transformed into the valuable elemental sulfur. The most popular of commercially viable extraction methods, the Claus process is fairly complicated, combining both thermal and catalytic reactions to achieve its final goal. A simplified explanation of the outline of the process follows.
To begin with, hydrogen sulfide is burned, which produces water and sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide and the remaining hydrogen sulfide then react with one another in what has been termed the Claus reaction, producing sulfur and water. This process is then furthered with the addition of catalytic agents which continue the reaction, yielding greater amounts of elemental sulfur than would otherwise be yielded by the reaction.
It is not an overstatement to say that the Claus process truly has revolutionized the sulfur industry, removing the need for native sulfur mining which should help preserve some landscapes along the Pacific Ring of fire which had become eroded and pitted due to sulfur mining. Though less native sulfur mining means fewer jobs for the laborers doing the back breaking work, it also means fewer deaths and less pulmonary disease related to exposure to sulfur dioxide. The sulfur obtained from the Claus process is also of a much higher purity in most instances than that which is obtained from native sulfur deposits mined then refined using various types of burning processes.
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