Sulfur Oxide

How does it get into the air?

Fossil fuels burning from power plants as well as other industrial facilities. Although the burning of fossil fuels is the biggest cause of SOx being released into the atmosphere, there are processes and machines that cause smaller amounts of SOx to be added. For instance, extracting metal from ore, volcanoes, cars, ships and other vehicles and heavy machinery that uses fuel with sulfur in it.

What harmful impacts does it have on human health?

It can harm the human respiratory system and make breathing difficult.

What is being done to reduce/control the emissions of this pollutant?

1) Subsidizing dry cleaners that switch from perc to other solvents and paying around 45% of the costs to do so 2) Banning lighter fluid and ordering the manufacturers to create a cleaner-burning product 3) Wood-burning stoves 4) Banning burning garbage

What method can be used to reduce the emission of SO2 into the atmosphere?

Desulfurization- Burning coal near calcium carbonate which absorbs a large portion of the sulfur oxides emitted and produces CaSO4 (sheetrock)

What harmful impacts does it have on the environment?

At high concentrations, it can harm trees and plants by damaging foliage and decreasing growth and contributes to acid rain which can harm sensitive ecosystems. It can also react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form fine particles that reduce visibility in parts of the United States.

What is the pollutant?

Sulfur oxides (SOx) are a harmful group of pollutants, the most harmful is Sulfur dioxide, SO2, a toxic gaseous sulfur oxide.