S (Sulfur)

UNICERT is the leading inspection body in the area of water quality test for Sulfur (S) and its objectives are to reduce environmental emission/pollution and enhance environmental performance of the society.

Sulfur (S):

Sulfur or sulphur is a chemical element with symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant, multivalent, and nonmetallic. Under normal conditions, sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with a chemical formula S8. Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow, crystalline solid at room temperature.

Sulfur is the tenth most common element by mass in the universe, and the fifth most common on Earth. Though sometimes found in pure, native form, sulfur on Earth usually occurs as sulfide and sulfate minerals. Being abundant in native form, sulfur was known in ancient times, being mentioned for its uses in ancient India, ancient Greece, China, and Egypt. In the Bible, sulfur is called brimstone, which means “burning stone”.

Today, almost all elemental sulfur is produced as a byproduct of removing sulfur-containing contaminants from natural gas and petroleum. The greatest commercial use of the element is the production of sulfuric acid for sulfate and phosphate fertilizers, and other chemical processes. The element sulfur is used in matches, insecticides, and fungicides. Many sulfur compounds are odoriferous, and the smells of odorized natural gas, skunk scent, grapefruit, and garlic are due to organosulfur compounds. Hydrogen sulfide gives the characteristic odor to rotting eggs and other biological processes.

Sulfur is an essential element for all life, but almost always in the form of organosulfur compounds or metal sulfides. Three amino acids (cysteine, cystine, and methionine) and two vitamins (biotin and thiamine) are organosulfur compounds. Many cofactors also contain sulfur including glutathione and thioredoxin and iron–sulfur proteins. Disulfides, S–S bonds, confer mechanical strength and insolubility of the protein keratin, found in outer skin, hair, and feathers. Sulfur is one of the core chemical elements needed for biochemical functioning and is an elemental macronutrient for all living organisms.

 

Effects of Phosphorus:

The addition of even a small amount of phosphorus to a water body can have negative consequences for water quality. Those adverse effects include: algae blooms, accelerated plant growth, and low dissolved oxygen from the decomposition of additional vegetation. An acceptable range for total phosphorus is 10 μg/L to 40 μg/L. Be sure to use the tribal, state, or federal standards as a comparison for your data.

 

Interested Parties including Regulatory Authorities:

    1. Persons affected by Sulfur
    2. Industries, Laboratories using/ Generating Sulfur
    3. Mining, Warehouses Containing Sulfur
    4. Personal and commercial uses of Sulfur
    5. Private / Govt. Projects to control Sulfur
    6. Handling and transportation of goods containing Sulfur
    7. Local Environmental Department/ Authorities
    8. Local Government Authorities like Municipalities, City Corporation etc.
    9. Local Law Enforcing Agencies like Police, Magistrate and Regulatory Authorities etc.

Benefit of Monitoring:

By monitoring long-term contamination trends, every country establishes baseline contamination levels, making it possible for early identification of contamination events. Daily events and long term trends are captured and steps taken to reduce environmental emission/ pollution and enhance environmental performance of the society.