Sulfur Dioxide - air pollution

"Understanding the Future of Sustainable Energy" Home Challenges Climate Change Pollution -Ozone -Acid Rain -Sulfur dioxide -Particulate Matter -Nitrogen Oxides -Carbon Monoxide Energy Standard Scale Economic National Security Electric Power Transportation Future Grid What can you do? About the Author		Sulfur Dioxide
		Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is produced by volcanoes as well as the combustion of sulfur containing fuels such as coal and petroleum. In the air sulfur dioxides is a pollutant. In addition, sulfur dioxide can react in the atmosphere to form acid rain. Due largely to the US EPA’s Acid Rain Program, the U.S. has witnessed a 33 percent decrease in emissions between 1983 and 2002. This improvement resulted from flue gas desulfurization, a technology that enables SO₂ to be chemically bound in power plants burning sulfur-containing coal or oil. In particular, calcium oxide (lime) reacts with sulfur dioxide to form calcium sulfite: CaO + SO₂ → CaSO₃ Having identified the problem and solution, sulfur oxide emission from electric generation are projected to decrease. Sulfur Dioxide Emissions from Electricity Generation 1995-2039 (Million Short Tons) [Energy Information Administration/Annual Energy Outlook 2007] Header: Volcano erupting (Photo by USGS-http://www.seismic.ca.gov/images/volcano_sthelen1.jpg)