- The 6 main sources of sulfur
- 1- Volcanic areas
- 2- Natural gas
- 3- Natural sulphide and sulfate mines
- 4- Fossil fuels
- 5- Food
- 6- Natural sulfur reserves
- References
The sulfur is found in nature reserves, adjacencies hot springs and volcanic zones. It is also found in natural gas, in fossil fuels, in some foods, and in cinnabar, pyrite, stibine, galena, and sphalerite mines.
Sulfur is a very abundant macromineral in the earth's crust and its presence can be both in the form of sulphides and sulphates. It is the ninth element with the greatest presence in nature.
This element has a very characteristic smell that many associate with the smell of a rotten egg. In its solid state it has a yellowish hue that can turn orange.
Sulfur is essential for the proper functioning of living things. Minerals are necessary for the production of hormones and the formation of bones, among other vital functions.
The 6 main sources of sulfur
1- Volcanic areas
Volcanic regions are a natural source of sulfur, given the high activity of this type of geological formation.
In active volcanoes, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide gases emerge from the interior of the volcano and react with each other to generate sulfur and water as by-products of the process.
2- Natural gas
Another way to obtain sulfur is by fragmenting natural gas: hydrogen sulfide is extracted from natural gas. This process is known as natural gas desulfurization.
Subsequently, the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized and, after being burned, sulfur is obtained.
3- Natural sulphide and sulfate mines
One of the major sources of sulfur are the sulfide mines, such as pyrite, sphalerite, stibnite, cinnabar, chalcopyrite and galena; as well as sulfates such as mineral plaster, also known as aljez.
More than 50% of the composition of pyrite is based on sulfur, and the main deposits of this sulfide are in Peru, Bolivia, Mexico and the United States.
4- Fossil fuels
To a lesser extent, sulfur is also present in fossil fuels, such as coal and oil. The combustion of these materials produces sulfur dioxide.
In addition, sulfur is also found in the rocks of oil fields. A significant volume of the world's sulfur production is obtained by melting these rocks.
5- Food
Sulfur is found in the vast majority of proteins of animal origin, such as: eggs, cheeses and red meat.
Sulfur plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats in the human body; therefore, its moderate intake is essential as part of the daily diet.
Other foods that are an important source of sulfur are vegetables, legumes and seafood (fish, shellfish, among others).
6- Natural sulfur reserves
On the planet there are more than 5 billion tons of sulfur, distributed in natural reserves.
In these reserves, sulfur is extracted through a process known as the Frasch process, by means of which the sulfur found in deep deposits is melted.
References
- Foods rich in Sulfur (sf). Recovered from: botanical-online.com
- Sulfur (sf). Havana Cuba. Recovered from: ecured.cu
- Sulfur (sf). WebConsultas Healthcare, SA Recovered from: webconsultas.com
- Sulfur (2017). Encyclopedia of Features Recovered from: caracteristicas.co
- Thermal waters and their healing properties (2014). Recovered from: geosalud.com
- Massol, A. (sf). Biology Manual. University of Puerto Rico. Mayagüez University Campus. Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Recovered from: uprm.edu
- Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia (2017). Sulfur. Recovered from: es.wikipedia.org