For others, though, sulfur dioxide is safe. Exposure to sulfur dioxide may cause irritation to the eyes, nose, and throat. SO 2 has been established as the chemical indicator for the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for gaseous sulfur … It’s a preservative that's added to extend shelf life and kill bacteria. Sulfur dioxide is predominantly in dried fruits and vegetables as well as soft drinks (and alcoholic beverages like wine). Symptoms include: nasal mucus, choking, cough, and reflex bronchi constriction, and when liquid: frostbite Workers may be harmed from exposure to sulfur dioxide. The health risks of sulfur dioxide in dried fruit may be severe for those with an allergy or asthma. exposed to sulfur dioxide which is the major reason for their extreme sensitivity to this pollutant. For sulfur dioxide (SO 2)the TLV had been 5.0 ppm for many years, but in 1978 ACGIH announced its intention to reduce that TLV to 2.0 ppm; that was done in 1980. Sulfur Dioxide Gas Exposure Hazards & Effects. Effects of sulfur dioxide on plants High concentrations of sulfur dioxide can produce acute injury in the form of foliar necrosis, even after relatively short duration exposure. Sulfur dioxide (SO 2) is a common air pollutant emitted from both anthropogenic and natural sources, and has long been known to cause adverse respiratory health effects. What consumers don’t know is how damaging the effects of SO2 can be on the consumers’ health. Sulphur dioxide is widely used in the food and drinks industries for its properties as a preservative and antioxidant. Whilst harmless to healthy persons when used in recommended concentrations, it can induce asthma when inhaled or ingested by sensitive subjects, even in high dilution. Sulfur dioxide plus water in air produce sulfuric acid, and this then convert to acidic rain. Sulfur dioxide and other oxides of sulfur have been studied extensively, but many questions remain about the effects of sulfur dioxide on people's health [37]. If sulfur dioxide or sulfites are listed, there may also be in parenthesis the words “for freshness.” While this isn’t inherently incorrect, it leads the consumer to believe the preservative is safe to eat. However, such effects are far less important in … Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) is a colorless gas with a characteristic, irritating, pungent odor. The Effects of Sulfur Dioxide on Environment When there is a great amount of sulfur dioxide on enviroment (usually as pollutant), it could leads to serious problems in our enviroment.