Sulphur Dioxide is produced in many
industrial processes, and can be incredibly
damaging to the
environment if released, most commonly when it forms
acid rain by
dissolving in the water in clouds, forming a weak
acid. It can also affect the
respiration of
humans and
mammals, and can lower the overall
atmospheric temperature by favouring
cloud formation, resulting in the sun's rays being
reflected.
Because of its harmful nature, companies which produce volumes of Sulphur Dioxide as a result of
industrial processes are expected to control the amount they release into the atmosphere, ideally releasing none at all. It is most commonly
removed using the following
reaction:
2SO
2(g) + O
2 --> 2SO
3(g)
This is an
exothermic (in the foward direction)
reversible reaction, and so is carried out at low
temperatures under high
pressure, to maximise the
yield of SO
3 obtained.