Organic Sulfur Compounds

Abstract

Sulfur‐containing materials are widespread in the environment and are essential for survival of mammals and other species. Methyl and ethyl mercaptans are extremely important in fundamental biological processes such as a source of sulfur or carbon fragments in mammalian biosynthetic pathways. Sulfur‐containing chemicals have toxic properties which may be attributed generally to their chemical, physical and biochemical properties, including their ability to react with heavy metals. The chemicals have been grouped according to chemical classes, with a major focus on mercaptans (also called thiols or sulfhydryls), sulfides, chemicals with both sulfur and oxygen atoms (sulfoxides, sulfones, sulfonates, and sulfonyl chlorides), miscellaneous groups (thiophenes and benzothiazoles), and sulfur mustards. The physical and chemical properties, exposure assessment, regulations and standards have been reviewed extensively.