Sulfur eventually settles back into the Earth or comes down within rainfall.

A continuous loss of
sulfur from terrestrial ecosystem runoff occurs through drainage into lakes and streams, and eventually
oceans. Sulfur also enters the ocean through fallout from the Earth’s atmosphere. Within the ocean,
some sulfur cycles through marine communities, moving through the food chain. A portion of this sulfur
is emitted back into the atmosphere from sea spray. The remaining sulfur is lost to the ocean depths,
combining with iron to form ferrous sulfide which is responsible for the black color of most marine
sediments.

Hydrogen sulfide rapidly oxidizes to gases that dissolve in water to form sulfurous and sulfuric acids.
These compounds contribute in large part to the “acid rain” that can kill sensitive aquatic organisms and
damage marble monuments and stone buildings.

Atmospheric sulfur is found in the form of sulfur dioxide (SO2), and as rain falls through the
atmosphere, sulfur is dissolved in the form of weak sulfuric acid (H2SO4). Sulfur can also fall directly from
the atmosphere in a process called fallout.