Is Sulphur Dioxide threatening our lives

1
Is Sulphur Dioxide threatening our lives?
2
The True Colours of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

• Should the technological processes that produce
  and use SO2 be discontinued for the sake of our
  lives?

3
About SO2

• Preparation / production of SO2
• Test for SO2 (Physical and Chemical properties)
• Uses of SO2
• Effects on the environment and our lives

4
Preparation/ Production

• Sulphur will burn in oxygen gas with a blue flame
  to produce sulphur dioxide,
• S(s) O2 (g) SO2 (g)
• Sulphur dioxide is also formed when sulphites are
  treated with acids
• Na2SO3 2HCl 2NaCl H2O SO2
• or when sulphuric acid is reduced with certain
  metals
• Cu 2H2SO4 CuSO4 2H2O SO2

5
Production

• The main human sources of sulphur dioxide are
  burning fossil fuels, smelting, paper manufacture
  and the production of sulphuric acid via the
  Contact Process

6
Production (cont.)

• Examples are
• Sulphur dioxide is produced by car exhaust
  engines as well as sulphuric acid plants.
• Refineries are also emitting large quantities of
  SO2

7
Tests for SO2

• Sulphur Dioxide
• Has no colour.
• Has a choking smell (like bad eggs).
• Will turn moist blue litmus paper red,or moist
  universal indicator paper red.(it is acidic).
• Will put out a lit splint.
• Specific test.
• Sulphur dioxide will turn acidifiedpotassium
  dichromate(VI) solution from orange to green (it
  is acidic).

8
Uses of SO2

• Sulphur dioxide is a reducing agent and is used
  for bleaching and as a fumigant and food
  preservative.
• Large quantities of sulphur dioxide are used in
  the contact process for the manufacture of
  sulphuric acid.

9
Uses of SO2 (cont.)

• Sulphur dioxide is used in bleaching wool or
  straw, and as a disinfectant.
• Liquid sulphur dioxide has been used in purifying
  petroleum products

10
Effects of SO2

• When the gas reaches the cloud layer in the
  atmosphere it dissolves in the water droplets
  present there and later falls to earth as what is
  known as acid rain.

11
Effects (cont.)

• Health EffectsSO2 can cause eye, nose, and
  throat irritation along with burning of the skin.
  SO2 can cause serious respiratory illness. It can
  also cause corrosion and discoloration.

12
Reflection

• Next time you go to a supermarket why not check
  food labels to see if they contain sulphur
  dioxide (additives E220 and E221) or a chemical,
  which decomposes to produce the gas (E222-8).

13
Last Word

• The problem can be diminished by changing
  fuel-use patterns the increasing use of cleaner
  fuels such as natural gas, and the implementation
  of effective smoke and emission control policies
• SO2 is an important gas to have, but we have to
  take responsibility in our use of the gas, and
  try to limit as much as possible the emissions in
  to the atmosphere, otherwise we are placing our
  lives in danger.

14
Bibliography

• www.gcsescience.com/itestsulphurdioxide.htm
• www.slb.mf.stockholm.se/e/chem.htm
• www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/so2/so2h.htm
• http//www.rjclarkson.demon.co.uk/middle/sulphur.h
  tm
• http//www.saburchill.com/chemistry/chapters/chap0
  48.html http//www.aeat.com/netcen/airqual/network
  s/kinetics.html
• http//www.physchem.co.za/Inorganic/Sulphur.htm