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This report presents information on six miscellaneous sulfur chemicals—sulfur
dioxide, sodium hydrosulfide, sodium hydrosulfite, sodium sulfide, sodium sulfite
and sodium thiosulfate. Sodium sulfites include sodium sulfite liquid and dry,
and sodium bisulfite solution and its dry counterpart sodium metabisulfite.
In the United States, a seventh, sodium formaldehyde sulfoxylate, is discussed.
These chemicals are used mainly as reducing and bleaching agents in the pulp
and paper and textile industries, as well as in the photographic and food industries,
and as precipitating and reducing agents in the treatment of water.
Production of pulp and paper is growing worldwide. Growth regions for pulp
production are Central and South America and Southeast Asia, where fast-growing
eucalyptus is available as a competitive ressource for cellulosic fibers. In
Europe, use of recovered paper grew by 1.9% in 2001–2005. Use of sodium
sulfite grew at a slightly lower rate, because of ongoing efforts to use closed
loops, thus minimizing the generation of hazardous waste. Use of sodium hydrosulfite
is stagnating, as it competes with alternative bleaching techniques based on
chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide. Consumption growth of sulfur chemicals
in these segments is expected to continue at a slower rate as growth in pulp
bleaching and deinking of recovered paper slows. As in the case of bleaching
chemicals, the consumption of the sulfur chemicals SO2, sodium sulfide and
sodium hydrosulfide is growing slower in Europe because of the general trend
toward closed cycles to avoid waste and to use peroxide bleaching instead of
chlorine bleaching, which do not require destruction of remaining chlorine.
Sodium sulfide and sodium hydrosulfide are used in the processing of leather.
Consumption of these products increases with increases in world leather production.
Growth regions in the past five years for leather production were China and
India. Growth is expected to continue in the forecast period in these regions.
Leather production in Europe decreased by 8% in 2001–2005 and is expected
to stagnate over the forecast period.
Production of food is growing globally and the consumption of sulfur chemicals
for the preservation of food is growing at a similar rate. Growth is strongest
in regions of increasing food production as a result of population growth,
with major growth regions being Central and South America, Africa and Southeast
Asia, but also China, where increasing wealth increases demand for processed
food. In North America and Europe, food production is stagnating and consumption
of sulfur chemicals is following this trend.
World consumption of sulfur dyes is growing, in particular in South America
(mainly in Brazil) and Asia, with China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as
major consuming countries. Consumption of sulfur chemicals in these applications
is, however, growing more slowly than consumption of dyes, since more eco-friendly
and safe formulations are increasingly used, where glucose replaces sodium
sulfides to a large extent.
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