Sulfur Cycle Article Index for
Sulfur
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Information About

Sulfur Cycle




The essential steps of the sulfur cycle are:
  • Mineralization of Organic Sulfur to the inorganic form, Hydrogen Sulfide : (H2S).

  • Oxidation of Sulfide and elemental sulfur (S) and related compounds to Sulfate (SO42-).

  • Reduction of sulfate to sulfide.

  • Microbial immobilization of the sulfur compounds and subsequent incorporation into the organic form of sulfur.


These are often termed as follows:
Assimilative sulfate reduction

Desulfuration

Oxidation of hydrogen sulfide

:Further ''oxidation of elemental sulfur'' by sulfur oxidizers produces sulfate.
Dissimilative sulfur reduction

Dissimilative sulfate reduction


Human impact on the sulfur cycle is primarily in the production of Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) from industry (e.g. burning Coal ) and the Internal Combustion Engine . Sulfur dioxide can precipitate onto surfaces where it can be oxidized to sulfate in the Soil (it is also toxic to some plants), reduced to sulfide in the Atmosphere , or oxidized to sulfate in the atmosphere as Sulfuric Acid , a principal component of Acid Rain .


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