What Does Volatile Sulfur Mean?
Volatile sulfur consists of hydrogen sulfide, which produces a rotten egg smell, and methyl mercaptan, which has a barnyard smell. Volatile sulfur can be corrosive to certain metallic surfaces, with significant negative effects. Volatile sulfur is also known as a volatile sulfur compound (VSC), which is a significant contributor to industrial corrosion. The extent of the corrosion damage caused by sulfur in the laboratory, if left unchecked, can be so severe as to cause failure of experimental apparatus.