Fertilizer, pesticide usage major contributor to sulfur to the environment, reveals new study

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A new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience revealed that fertilizer and pesticide applications to agricultural lands are now the most important source of sulfur to the environment.

“It seemed like the sulfur story was over. But our analysis shows that sulfur applications to croplands in the US and elsewhere are often ten times higher than the peak sulfur load in acid rain. No one has looked comprehensively at the environmental and human health consequences of these additions,” said Eve-Lyn Hinckley, lead author of the study, said.

It is worth noting that sulfur is a naturally occurring element that exists primarily in stable and geologic forms. Also, it is an important plant nutrient.