sulfur dioxide

American  

noun

Chemistry.

1. a colorless, nonflammable, water-soluble, suffocating gas, SO 2 , formed when sulfur burns: used chiefly in the manufacture of chemicals such as sulfuric acid, in preserving fruits and vegetables, and in bleaching, disinfecting, and fumigating.

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sulfur dioxide Scientific  

1. A colorless, poisonous gas or liquid with a strong odor. It is formed naturally by volcanic activity, and is a waste gas produced by burning coal and oil and by many industrial processes, such as smelting. It is also a hazardous air pollutant and a major contributor to acid rain. Chemical formula: SO ₂ .

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Etymology

Origin of sulfur dioxide

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

Even worse, burning coal produces air pollutants, including sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, that are real threats to human health.

From Literature

They're worried about PFAs plumes in their ground, poisoning their water, or whether or not their air is poisoned by sulfur dioxide from a smokestack next to them.

From Salon

And although landfill operators routinely monitor for potentially dangerous gases, such as methane or sulfur dioxide, they typically don’t have instruments that would detect toxic contaminants in wildfire ash, like lead or asbestos.

From Los Angeles Times

The company has focused its efforts on developing balloons releasing stratospheric aerosols, mainly sulfur dioxide.

From Salon

It can result, above all, from the reaction of sulfur dioxide with hydroxyl radicals.

From Science Daily