The sulphur cycle outlines how different forms of sulphur are cycled within the environment
- Sulphur is an essential component of living organisms, being a constituent part of many proteins and enzyme cofactors
- Sulphur in the air and soil may be oxidised to form sulphates (SO42–)
- Sulphates are reduced by plants and bacteria and hence sulphur becomes incorporated into organic molecules
- Sulphur within the soil can also be mineralised into inorganic forms and incorporated with metals (e.g. iron sulphide)
- Burning of fossil fuels releases sulphur as sulphur dioxide (SO2), which is an enabling component of acid rain
Sulphur Cycle
