• Question: can sulfur kill you ??

    Asked by miller to Aime, Akshat, Diana, Gemma, Judith on 14 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Judith McCann

      Judith McCann answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      I think sulfur on its own isnt toxic (so it won’t kill you). When sulfur combines with other things it can be very toxic. This happens when it is burnt, it is combined with oxygen in the air to make sulfur dioxide(SO2), or sulfuric acid(H2SO4) or as hydrogen sulfide(H2S) which smells of bag eggs! these are all dangerous. H2SO4 is extremely corrosive(so it breaks down materials) and can give burns on the skin, H2S is flammable and poisonous!

    • Photo: Gemma Sharp

      Gemma Sharp answered on 14 Jun 2011:

      Well, on its own sulfur isn’t toxic, but when it burns it forms sulfur dioxide (a gas), and high concentrations of that can kill you. Sulfuric acid (sulfur and water) is also harmful.

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