Sulfur Cycle

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SULFUR CYCLE

 The sulfur cycle is the collection of processes by which sulfur moves to and from minerals
(including the waterways) and living systems. Such biochemical cycles are important in geology
or ‘biogeochemical cycle’ because they affect many minerals. Sulfur occurs in all living matter as
a component of certain amino acids. It is abundant in the soil, in proteins and, through a series
of microbial transformations, ends up as sulfates usable by plants.

WHAT IS A BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE?

 Biogeochemical cycle or substance turnover or cycling of substances is a pathway by which a

chemical element or molecule moves through both biotic snow (biosphere) and abiotic
(lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere) compartments of Earth.
 Biogeochemical Cycle- the cycle of matter through the Earth since:
- All matter is conserved
- All matter cycles (since none is destroyed)

ALL ABOUT SULFUR

 Found in rocks or buried deep in the ocean in oceanic sediments.

 Found in the atmosphere. (enter through both natural and human sources.)
 Occurs in combination with several metals such as, PbS and HgS.
 A brittle yellow, tasteless and odorless non-metallic element. 10th most abundant element in
the universe, at room temperature, it is a solid.
 Present in proteins, amino acids, vitamins, and enzymes, necessary for plants and animals
 Important elements of industrial processes

IMPORTANCE OF SULFUR

 Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is a bleaching agent and is used to bleach wood pulp
 Sulfur dioxide kills molds and bacteria.
 Sulfur is found in every living cell (amino acids)
 Long used as a medicine (Brimstone in the old days)
 Before the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s, sulfur-containing drugs-sulfa were commonly used
to treat infectious diseases.
 Component of penicillin-class antibiotics
 Medications for dandruff, and warts have this ingredient. Combining alcohol and sulfur can be
used to treat acne and other skin disorders.

HOW IS SULFUR USED?

 It is also use to make cements, matches, fireworks, dyes, fungicides

 Powdered sulfur is found in lotions and skin cream ingredients.
SULFUR CYCLE

• It includes both atmospheric terrestrial processes

 Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) is released into the atmosphere (volcanic eruptions, fossil fuel burning,
and the anaerobic decay of sulfur containing biological material in swamps, bogs)
 Certain marine algae: Dimethyl sulfide + oxygen in atmosphere = Sulfur dioxide.
 Volcanic eruptions = Sulfur dioxide
 Burning of fossil fuels = Sulfur dioxide
 Sulfur dioxide + Oxygen = Sulfur trioxide, then reacts with tiny water droplets = Sulfuric Acid
 Sulfur Oxides reacts with Ammonia = tiny particles of ammonium salts.
 Wind carries Sulfuric acid and ammonium salts which falls to earth in form of Precipitation.
 Plants get sulfur by taking up ions of sulfate salt from the soil.
 Animals get sulfur by eating plants and all living things release sulfur compounds when they
decay.

 Decomposition releases sulfate SO 4^-2 which can be taken up by plants as well as gaseous
hydrogen sulfide.

 Some hydrogen sulfide enters the atmosphere. But when decay occurs in an oxygen-free
environment, anaerobic bacteria break down hydrogen sulfide and release sulfur gas (H2)

 Oxygen-requiring bacteria can incorporate sulfur into sulfate salts which can be taken up by
plants and enter the food chain once again.

 The remaining sulfur is lost into the oceans depth combining with iron to form Ferrous Sulfide
which is responsible for the black color of most marine sediments.

ESSENTIAL STEPS OF THE SULFUR CYCLE

1. Mineralization of organic sulfur to the inorganic form, hydrogen sulfide (H₂S).

2. Oxidation of sulfide and elemental sulfur (S) and related compounds to sulfate (SO4^2-).

3. Reduction of sulfate to sulfide.

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

EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES

CAUSES

 Small portion from natural sources such as volcanoes.

  Most of it comes from the human activity like the burning of fossil fuels to generate electricity.
Two Thirds of SO2 and one fourth of NOx in the atmosphere come from electric power
generators.
 Vehicles and heavy equipment.
 Manufacturing, oil refineries and other industries.

Q1. Is the foul smelling gas release from the volcano a sulfur?

 Answer: NO, because Sulfur as a non-metallic element is tasteless and odorless in nature, but it
is the hydrogen sulfide. Due to the mineralization of organic sulfur to the inorganic form it will
produce hydrogen sulfide (HS) gas and burns in the air during oxidation to produce sulfur
dioxide (SO2) and water, which smells like rotten eggs.
 Hydrogen sulfide is the chemical compound with the chemical formula H₂S. It is a flammable,
colorless gas that smells like rotten eggs. People usually can smell hydrogen sulfide at low
concentrations in air ranging from 0.0005 to 0.3 parts per million (ppm). Hydrogen sulfide occurs
naturally in crude petroleum, natural gas, volcanic gases, and hot springs.
 Sulfur dioxide (SO2) a colorless, toxic gas with a sharp odor-is a very water soluble, acidic gas.

FIVE VOLCANIC GASES

Volcanic eruptions emit water vapor and toxic gases into the atmosphere such as:

1. carbon dioxide (CO2) colorless, odorless

2. hydrochloric acid (H2O): HCI colorless, odorless

3. carbon monoxide (CO) colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas

4. sulfur dioxide (SO2) colorless, sharp odor

5. hydrogen sulfide (H2S) colorless, smells like rotten egg

Q2. What diseases we get from acid rain?

Answer:

Specifically, sulfur dioxide particles in the air can encourage chronic lung problems, like asthma and
bronchitis. Additionally, the nitrogen oxides that create acid rain promote the formation of ground-level
ozone.

 Respiratory diseases like asthma or chronic bronchitis. The pollution that causes acid rain can
also create tiny particles. When these particles get into people's lungs, they can cause health
problems, or can make existing health problems worse.
 Acid rain can be absorbed by plants and animals. When consumed, these toxins affect humans
severely. Brain damage, kidney problems, and Alzheimer's disease has been linked to people
eating "toxic" animals/plants.
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR DRINKING WATER

INTRODUCTION

- It is a provision of safe water supply to prevents the transmission of waterborne pathogens and
reduces the exposure of individuals to chemical and physical hazards that could ingested through
contaminated drinking water.

-Setting standards for drinking water establishes threshold limits for different impurities found in
drinking water. These limits are intended to minimize risk and therefore prevent deleterious health
repercussions that result from lifelong exposure to these impurities through consumption of water.

THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZES RECENT QUALITY-RELATED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WATER SUPPLY

SECTOR IN THE COUNTRY AND ELSEWHERE SUCH AS THE FOLLOWING:
1. NEW INFORMATION OF MANY CHEMICALS AS AN OUTCOME OF EVOLVING AGRICULTURAL,
INDUSTRIAL AND EVEN DOMESTIC PRACTICESS,
NEW CHEMICALS FIND THEIR WAY INTO THE
ENVIRONMENT AND CONTAMINATE DRINKING
WATER SOURCES.
2. PROLIFERATION OF WATER REFILLING THE QUALITY OF PROCESSED WATER FROM
STATIOINS AS ALTERNATE OR MAIN SOURCES THESE STATIONS MAY REQUIRE DISTINCT
OF DDRINKING WATER STANDARDS COMPARED TO THE WATER FROM
LARGE WATER SYSTEMS.
3. DETENCTION OF NATURALLY OCCURING e.g ARSENIC AND FLUORIDE
HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES IN GROUNDWATER THE PRESENCE OF THESE CHEMICALS IS
INEVITABLE CONSTITUENT IN SOME WATER
SOURCES.
4. THE NEED FOR DIFFERENT APPROACHES IN SUPPORTING SAFE MANAGEMENT OF WATER SUPPLY
SYSTEMS.

OBJECTIVE:

To protect public health, safety and welfare by ensuring quality standards of drinking water.

SCOPE/COVERAGE

These standards shall apply to the ff:

1. to all waterworks officials;

2. developers and operators of water supply systems both government and private entities;

3. water refilling station operators;

4. water vending machine operators;

5. ice manufacturers;

6. all establishments and institutions that vending machine operators, ice manufacturers;

7. all establishments and institutions that supply or serve drinking water

8. drinking water laboratories;

9. health and sanitation authorities;

10. The general public and all other concerned

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

>Microbiological quality (refer to pdf)

✓ Public health implications(BACTERIA, VIRUSES, AND PATHOGENIC PROTOZOA)

✓ Microbiological indicators of drinking-water quality

✓ Standard methods of detection and values of microbiological quality

✓ Sampling and analysis for microbiological quality (lab.testing/examination)

o Volume of sample(100ml)

o Sample container

o Sample collection, handling and storage

o Identification of samples

o Frequency of sampling

o Location of sampling points

CRITERIA FOR AN IDEAL ORGANISM ARE AS FOLLOWS:

a. Always present when pathogenic organism of concern is present, and absent in clean,
uncontaminated water.

b. Present in large numbers in the feces of humans and warm-blooded animals

c. Respond to natural environmental conditions and to treatment process in a manner similar to the
waterborne pathogens of interest

d. Readily detectable by simple methods, easy to isolate, identify and enumerate e. Ratio of
indicator/pathogen should be high

f. Indicator and pathogen should come from the same source (gastrointestinal tract).

STANDARD METHODS OF DETECTION AND VALUES FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY

PARAMETERS
TOTAL COLIFORM
 FECAL COLIFORM
HETEROTROPHIC PLATE COUNT
COLIFORM ORGANISMS (TOTAL COLIFORM) - REFERS TO ANY ROD-SHAPED, NON-SPORE-FORMING
GRAM NEGATIVE BACTERIA CAPABLE OF GROWTH IN THE PRESENCE OF BILE SALES, OR OTHER
SURFACE-ACTIVE AGENTS WITH SIMILAR GROWTH INHIBITING PROPERTIES WHICH ARE CYTOCHROME-
OXIDASE NEGATIVE AND ABLE TO - FERMENT LACTOSE AT EITHER 35 OR 37°C WITH THE PRODUCTION
OF ACID, GAS AND ALDEHYDE WITHIN 24-48 HOURS.

FECAL COLIFORMS - SUBGROUP OF COLIFORM BACTERIA THAT HAS A HIGH POSITIVE CORRELATION
WITH FECAL CONTAMINATION ASSOCIATED WITH ALL WARM BLOODED ANIMALS. THESE ORGANISMS
CAN FERMENT LACTOSE AT 44.5°C AND PRODUCE GAS IN A MULTIPLETUBE PROCEDURE (EC
Confirmation) OR ACIDITY WITH MEMBRANE FILTER PROCEDURE.

Table 1. Minimum Frequency of Sampling for Drinking-Water Supply Systems for Microbiological
Examination

LEVEL I (POINTSOURCE)

- A PROTECTED WELL OR A DEVELOPED SPRING WITH AN OUTLETBUT WITHOUTDISTRIBUTION SYSTEM,

GENERALLY ADAPTABLE FOR RURAL AREAS

WHERE THE HOUSES ARE THINLY SCATTERED.

SERVES 15 TO 25 HOUSEHOLDS AND ITS OUTREACH MUST NOT BE MORE THAN 250 meters FRO THE
FARTHEST USER.

DISCHARGE FROM 40 TO 140 1/min.

LEVEL II(COMMUNAL FAUCET SYSTEM OR STANDPOSTS)

COMPOSED OF SOURCE, A RESERVOIR, PIPED DISTRIBUTION NETWORK AND COMMUNAL FAUCETS,

LOCATED MORE THAN 25 m FROM THE FARTHEST HOUSE. DESIGNED TO DELIVER 40-80 LITERSPER
CAPITA PER DAY TO AN AVERAGE OF 100 HOUSEHOLDS, WITH ONEFAUCET PER 4 TO 6 HOUSEHOLDS,

LEVEL III (WATERWORKS SYSTEM OR INDIVIDUAL HOUSE CONNECTION)

A SYSTEM WITH A SOURCE, A RESERVOIR, A PIPED DISTRIBUTION NETWORK AND HOUSEHOLD TAPS. IT
IS GENERALLY SUITED FOR DENSELY POPULATED AREAS.

REQUIRES A MINIMUM TREATMENT OF DISINFECTION.

CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL QUALITY

-Chemical Contaminants

✓ Acceptability Aspect

✓ Particulates in water supply

Water Sampling for Chemical and Physical analysis

✓ Minimum Frequency of Sampling

-Volume of Sample(3 liters of sample)

✓ Sample Container

✓ Sample Handling and Storage

✓ Standard Values for inorganic Chemical Constituents with Health Sigificance

-Organic Chemical Constituents from Industrial Pollution( with Health significance)

✓ Organic Chemical Constituents from Industrial Pollution

-Standard Value for Organic Chemical Constituents (Pesticides)

✔Standard Values for Physical and Chemical Quality for Acceptability Aspects

✔Standard Values for Chemical Used in Treatment and Disinfection and Disinfection by-products

RADIOLOGICAL QUALITY

• Radioactive contaminants in drinking water may come from naturally-occurring radionuclides

present in rocks and soils from earth's formation and from man-made radionuclide arising from
power generated by nuclear energy.

 Deep wells, groundwater and mineral springs have been known to be sources of natural
radioactivity, principally radium and radon.
 Deposition of radioactive fallout from nuclear weapon testing abroad or from nuclear accidents,
nuclear power plants facilities or from medical use of radioactive substances may also be a
source of contamination.