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Review of Submarine Escape Action Levels for Selected Chemicals
TABLE 7–1 Physical and Chemical Properties for Hydrogen Sulfide
1 g in 242 mL water at 20°C; soluble in alcohol, ether, glycerol, gasoline, kerosene, crude oil, and carbon dioxide
Conversion factors in air
1 ppm=1.40 mg/m3
1 mg/m3=0.7 ppm
Abbreviations: CAS, Chemical Abstract Service.
Sources: Beauchamp et al. (1984); NRC (1985); ATSDR (1999).
Hydrogen sulfide has been widely used as a reagent in analytical chemistry. Its major use is in the production of elemental sulfur and sulfuric acid (ATSDR 1999). It is also used in the manufacture of heavy water for the nuclear energy industry, in the production of sodium sulfide and thiophenes, in rayon manufacturing, as an agricultural disinfectant, and as an additive in lubricants.
Most of the hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere—approximately 90%— comes from natural sources through nonspecific and anaerobic bacterial reduction of sulfates and sulfur-containing organic compounds (ATSDR 1999). These sources include stagnant or polluted waters and manure or coal pits with low
