Sulfur dioxide is an irritant gas which may be encountered in a variety of occupational exposures. The odor often limits exposures.
Molecular weight: 64.06 grams
Mechanism of action: contact with water on moist mucosal surfaces results in conversion to sulfurous acid.
Sources of exposure:
(1) refrigeration
(2) smelting
(3) fumigant, disinfectant
(4) mining
(5) pulp and paper plants
(6) textiles (bleaching agent)
(7) preservative for fruits and vegetables
Concentration (parts per million, ppm)
Symptoms
0.3 - 1.0 ppm
odor detected
5.0 - 10.0
irritation to conjunctiva, nose and throat
skin irritation (especially with chronic exposures) to burns, ocular burns
> 50 ppm
acute upper and lower respiratory toxicity with chronic residual injury
Acute respiratory toxicity:
(1) coughing
(2) hypoxemia
(3) airway obstruction with bronchospasm, peribronchial fibrosis and bronchiolitis obliterans
(4) severe reduction in exercise tolerance
(5) ventilation-perfusion mismatch
(6) positive Gallium lung scan
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Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
