hydrogen sulfide

noun

1. a colorless, flammable, water-soluble, cumulatively poisonous gas, H 2 S, having the odor of rotten eggs: used chiefly in the manufacture of chemicals, in metallurgy, and as a reagent in laboratory analysis.

hydrogen sulfide

1. A colorless, poisonous gas that smells like rotten eggs. It is formed naturally by decaying organic matter and is the smelly component of intestinal gas. It is also emitted by volcanoes and fumaroles. Hydrogen sulfide is used in the petroleum, rubber, and mining industries, and in making sulfur. Chemical formula: H ₂ S.

Word History and Origins

Origin of hydrogen sulfide¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

It could also bring relief to hundreds of thousands of people who live nearby landfills and may be exposed to toxic pollutants like hydrogen sulfide or benzene.

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In oxygen-poor settings such as marine sediments, wetlands, and underground aquifers, certain microbes produce hydrogen sulfide, a foul-smelling and highly toxic gas.

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Toxic hydrogen sulfide escapes from nearby wells, giving the air the smell of “burnt rotten eggs,” Campos said.

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The study indicates they’re being exposed to high levels of the toxic gas hydrogen sulfide.

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Recent research also suggests bacteria and hydrogen sulfide as pollutants of concern.

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