Sulfur

Sulfur does not react with dilute non-oxidizing acids, under normal conditions.

Sulfur reacts with hot concentrated sulfuric acid, forming SO₂ [5]:

S(s) + H₂SO₄(l) 3 SO₂(g) + 2 H₂O(l)


Disulfide ions reacts with acid forming hydrogen sulfide and free sulfur [5]:

S₂²⁻(aq) + 2 H⁺(aq) H₂S(g) + S(s)

The sulfur precipitates as a fine white powder in the water, called milk of sulfur.

Sulfur reacts with oxygen forming sulfur dioxide and trioxide [5]:

S(s) + O₂(g) SO₂(g)
2 SO₂(g) + O₂(g) 2 SO₃(g)

Sulfur reacts with hot aqueous potassium hydroxide, KOH, forming potassium sulfide and thiosulfate:

S₈(s) + 12 KOH(aq) 4 K₂S(aq) + 2 K₂S₂O₃(aq) + 6 H₂O(l)

Carbon reacts with sulfur at high temperatures, in the absense of oxygen, forming carbon disulfide [5]:

C(s) + 2 S(s) CS₂(g)

Sulfur reacts with excess fluorine forming sulfur(VI)fluoride [5]:

S(s) + 3 F₂(g) SF₆(s)


Sulfur reacts with excess chlorine forming sulfur(I)chloride and sulfur(II)chloride [5]:

2 S(s) + Cl₂(l) S₂Cl₂(s)
S(s) + Cl₂(g) SCl₂(s)


Sulfur reacts with excess bromine forming sulfur(I)bromide [5]:

2 S(s) + Br₂(l) S₂Br₂(s)


Sulfur does not react with iodine [5]

Sulfur reacts with hydrogen, forming hydrogen sulfide [5]:

S₈(s) + 8 H₂(g) 8 H₂S(g)

In gaseous form, Cd and S₈ reacts forming CdS. At 130-180 °C solid Cd and S₈ reacts explosively, also forming CdS [5].

Cd(g) + S₈(g) CdS(g)
Cd(s) + S₈(s) CdS(s) [yellow]


Gallium reacts with sulfur forming gallium sulfide [5]:

16 Ga(s) + 3 S₈(s) 8 Ga₂S₃(s)


When heated, lead reacts with sulfur [5]:

Pb(s) + S(s) PbS(s)


Mercury reacts with sulfur, forming mercury(II) sulfide [5]:

Hg(l) + S(s) HgS(s)


Sodium reacts with sulfur forming sodium sulfide [5]:

16 Na(s) + S₈(s) 8 Na₂S(s)

Sulfur does not react with water under normal conditions.

Method - Inductively Coupled Plasma Method [1]. A portion of the sample is digested in a combination of acids. The digest is aspirated into an 8,000 K argon plasma where resulting light emission is quantified for 30 elements simultaneously.

Method limit of detection in water = 0.002 mg/L
Method limit of detection in soil = 1.00 mg/kg