The sulfur cycle describes the movement of sulfur through the biosphere and lithosphere. Sulfur is released into the atmosphere through volcanic eruptions, fossil fuel burning, and decaying organic matter. It is then converted to sulfuric acid and deposited back on land and oceans through precipitation. Sulfur is essential for life and cycles between its reduced and oxidized forms as it moves between living and nonliving parts of the Earth system. Human activities like burning coal have increased sulfur dioxide levels in the atmosphere and contributed to acid rain formation.

1. Reported by:
Angela Ang
Royce Bacelonia
Jezzele Andres
MM 201
Environmental Science
(TTH 8:30 – 10:00)

2.  The sulfur cycle is the collection of processes by which sulfur
moves to and from minerals (including the waterways) and
living systems. Such biogeochemical cycles are important in
geology because they affect many minerals.
 Biogeochemical cycle or substance turnover or cycling of
substances is a pathway by which a chemical element or
molecule moves through both biotic (biosphere) and abiotic
(lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) compartments of
Earth.

3.  Biogeochemical Cycle- the cycle of matter through the
Earth since:
 All matter is conserved
 All matter cycles (since none is destroyed)
 Found in rocks or buried deep in the ocean in oceanic
sediments.
 found in the atmosphere.( enter through both natural and
human sources.)

4.  - occurs in combination with
several metals such as, PbS
and HgS.
 - a brittle yellow, tasteless and
odorless non-metallic element.
 10th most abundant element
in the universe,
 At room temp. it is a solid
 Present in proteins, amino
acids, vitamins, and enzymes,
necessary for plants and
animals

5.  important elements of industrial processes
 Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a bleaching agent and is used to bleach
wood pulp
 Sulfur dioxide kills molds and bacteria. (preserve)
 Sulfur is found in every living cell (amino acids)
 Long used as a medicine ( Brimstone in the old days)
 Before the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s, sulfur-containing
drugs-sulfa drugs-were commonly used to treat infectious
diseases.
 component of penicillin-class antibiotics
 Medications for dandruff, and warts have this ingredient.
Combining alcohol and sulfur can be used to treat acne and
other skin disorders.

6. It is also use to make
cements, matches, fireworks,
dyes, fungicides.
Powdered sulfur is found in
lotions and skin cream
ingredients.

9.  It includes both atmospheric and terrestrial processes
 Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is released into the atmosphere (volcanic
eruptions, fossil fuel burning, and the anaerobic decay of sulfur-
containg biological material in swamps, bogs)
 Certain marine algae  dimethyl sufide + Oxygen in atmosphere =
Sulfur dioxide.
 Volcanic eruptions  Sulfur dioxide
 Burning of fossil fuels  Sulfur dioxide
 Sulfur dioxide + Oxygen = Sulfur trioxide, then reacts with tiny water
droplets = Sulfuric Acid
 Sulfur Oxides reacts with Ammonia = tiny particles of ammonium
salts.
 Wind carries Sulfuric acid and ammonium salts which falls to earth in
form of Precipitation.
 Plants get sulfur by taking up ions of sulfate salt from the soil.
 Animals get sulfur by eating plants and all living things release sulfur
compounds when they decay.

10.  Decomposition releases sulfate salts (SO4 2-), which
can be taken up by plants as well as gaseous hydrogen
sulfide.
 Some hydrogen sulfide enters the atmosphere. But
when decay occurs in an oxygem-free environment,
anaerobic bacteria break down hydrogen sulfide and
release sulfur gas (H2)
 Oxygen-requiring bacteria can incorporate sulfure into
sulfate salts which can be taken up by plants and enter
the food chain once again.
 The remaining sulfur is lost into the oceans depth
combining with iron to form Ferrous Sulfide which is
responsible for the black color of most marine
sediments.

11.  We burn sulfur containing coal and
oil to produce electricity. We refine
sulfur containing petroleum.
 Acid rain is corrosive rain caused by
rainwater falling to the ground
through sulfur dioxide gas, turning
it into weak sulfuric acid, which
causes damage to ecosystems.

12.  Energy conservation

13.  Transportation - cars are
a major contributor to
acid rain pollution,
 Alternative fuels - switch
over to renewable
sources of energy, (solar,
wind and water energy)