Sulfur oxide

As sulfur oxides (general formula SxOy ) refers to the oxides of the chemical element sulfur.

Since sulfur can take different oxidation numbers, there are a plurality of different sulfur oxides.

Sulfur oxides are formed during the combustion of sulfur and sulfur- containing fuels (coal, gasoline, heating oil, diesel fuel ), but also due to natural processes such as volcanic eruptions.

Sulfur forms during combustion processes mainly two oxides:

• Sulfur dioxide, SO2 and
• Sulfur trioxide, SO3 ( in lesser amounts )

Both sulfur oxides form acids in aqueous solution. For sulfur dioxide as the unstable sulfurous acid, sulfur trioxide is produced from the very important sulfuric acid. Both acids play inter alia, in the acidification of lakes by acid rain and forest dieback when a role. Both sulfur oxides are toxic as a gas.

As part of the Federal Pollution Control Act and its secondary legislation, as well as analog environmental laws, the term sulfur oxide is used as a sum parameter for both sulfur oxides, which is specified as an equivalent of sulfur dioxide.

Other sulfur oxides Polyschwefelmonoxide SnO ( n = 5-10). They are sub-oxides in which the sulfur atoms have an oxidation number lower than I on the average, but in fact have different oxidation numbers. In addition, there is also Polyschwefelperoxide (SO3 -4), n is the oxidation number of the sulfur is VI.