It is extremely flammable and highly toxic. Hydrogen sulfide also occurs naturally in sewers, manure pits, well water, oil and gas wells, and volcanoes. Because it is heavier than air, hydrogen sulfide can collect in low-lying and enclosed spaces, such as manholes, sewers, and underground telephone vaults.

What products contain hydrogen sulfide?

Hydrogen sulfide can also result from industrial activities, such as food processing, coke ovens, kraft paper mills, tanneries, and petroleum refineries. Hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, colorless gas with a characteristic odor of rotten eggs. It is commonly known as hydrosulfuric acid, sewer gas, and stink damp.

Is hydrogen sulfide harmful to humans?

Exposure to hydrogen sulfide may cause irritation to the eyes and respiratory system. It can also cause apnea, coma, convulsions; dizziness, headache, weakness, irritability, insomnia; stomach upset, and if liquid: frostbite. Workers may be harmed from exposure to hydrogen sulfide.

Where is hydrogen sulfide found in the ocean?

Hydrogen sulphide occurs naturally in many gas wells and also in gas hydrates and gas-saturated sediments especially at the bottom of the Black Sea where 90% of the sea water is anaerobic.

Can you buy hydrogen sulfide?

We offer hydrogen sulfide in a variety of purities and concentrations.

H2S - Typical Sites and Locations

How is H2S made?

Hydrogen Sulfide is created naturally by decaying organic matter and is released from sewage sludge, liquid manure, and sulfur hot springs. It is formed when Sulfur is removed from petroleum products in the petroleum refining process and is a by-product of paper pulping.

Why is H2S called sulfide?

What is Hydrogen Sulfide? Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula H₂S. This means it is made of two hydrogen atoms, and one sulfide.

Why is H2S poisonous?

Hydrogen sulfide is a very rapidly acting, highly toxic gas that can produce rapid CNS and respiratory depression. It is also an irritant affecting skin and mucous membranes. There is no proven antidote for hydrogen sulfide poisoning.

What does hydrogen sulfide smell like?

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable, extremely hazardous gas with a “rot- ten egg” smell.

Is hydrogen sulfide in water toxic?

Hydrogen sulfide is flammable and poisonous. Usually it is not a health risk at concentrations present in household water, except in very high concentrations. ... In rare cases, however, hydrogen sulfide odor may be from sewage pollution which can contain disease-producing contaminants.

Do rotten eggs produce hydrogen sulfide?

Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable gas that smells like rotten eggs at low concentration levels in the air. ... In the environment, hydrogen sulfide is produced from the bacterial breakdown or decomposition of dead plant and animal matter, especially when there is a lack of oxygen.

What does H2S look like?

Hydrogen sulfide appears as a colorless gas having a strong odor of rotten eggs.

Do humans produce hydrogen sulfide?

Human body produces small amounts of hydrogen sulfide and uses it as a signaling molecule. “Hydrogen sulfide is produced within the human body, and has a variety of important physiological effects. ... More generally, a lack of hydrogen sulfide is implicated in cardiovascular disease.”

What causes hydrogen sulfide in the body?

Your body makes small amounts of hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is produced by the natural bacteria in your mouth. It is also produced when some types of proteins are broken down by bacteria in the intestines.

Why does my cold tap water smell like rotten eggs?

If your cold water smells like rotten eggs, the odor is usually caused by the levels of sulfur bacteria and hydrogen sulfide gas that can be found in a building's water supply. ... You may be surprised to know that there are over 316 chemicals found in drinking water across the US.

Who discovered hydrogen?

Hydrogen was discovered by the English physicist Henry Cavendish in 1766. Scientists had been producing hydrogen for years before it was recognized as an element. Written records indicate that Robert Boyle produced hydrogen gas as early as 1671 while experimenting with iron and acids.

How do we find hydrogen?

On Earth, hydrogen is found in the greatest quantities as water. It is present as a gas in the atmosphere only in tiny amounts – less than 1 part per million by volume. Any hydrogen that does enter the atmosphere quickly escapes the Earth's gravity into outer space.

Is zinc a sulfide?

Zinc sulfide (or zinc sulphide) is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula of ZnS. This is the main form of zinc found in nature, where it mainly occurs as the mineral sphalerite.

How can you tell if gas is H2S?

Colorless, flammable, poisonous and corrosive, H2S gas is noticeable by its rotten egg smell. With toxicity similar to carbon monoxide, which prevents cellular respiration, monitoring and early detection of H2S could mean the difference between life and death.

Is hydrogen sulfide heavier than air?

It is flammable, colorless and noticeable by its rotten egg odor. Hydrogen sulfide is heavier than air, so it stays low to the ground. People can smell the specific odor at low concentrations in air ranging from 0.0005 to 0.3 parts per million (ppm).

Is hydrogen H2 or H?

Hydrogen has a molar mass of 1 and it's molecular formula is H2. Hydrogen, H, is the lightest element with the atomic number 1. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, and highly flammable gas with the molecular formula H2.

What is a natural source of H2S?

Most hydrogen sulfide in the air comes from natural sources. It is produced when bacteria break down plant and animal material, often in stagnant waters with low oxygen content such as bogs and swamps. Volcanoes, hot springs and underwater thermal vents also release hydrogen sulfide.

How far can H2S travel?

Conception. The largest 100 ppm H2S concentration hazard zone for platforms located in the eastern Santa Barbara Channel (Platforms Gail, Gilda, Grace, and Gina) has a maximum downwind distance of 813 feet.

Can smelling raw sewage make you sick?

Yes, sewer gas can make you sick. That's why it is so important to take any odd smells coming from your sewer seriously. You should also know how to identify potential symptoms of sewer gas exposure, because some sewer gasses are odorless—or damage your sense of smell.