the most abundant gaseous pollutant; results from burning coal and oil. SO2 can be a respiratory irritant. It is one of the major components of acid rain.

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
sulfur dioxide (noun)
a heavy pungent toxic gas SO that is easily condensed to a colorless liquid, is used especially in making sulfuric acid, in bleaching, as a preservative, and as a refrigerant, and is a major air pollutant especially in industrial areas - 2
sulfur dioxide (Wikipedia)

Sulfur dioxide (IUPAC-recommended spelling) or sulphur dioxide (traditional Commonwealth English) is the chemical compound with the formula SO
2
. It is a toxic gas responsible for the odor of burnt matches. It is released naturally by volcanic activity and is produced as a by-product of copper extraction and the burning of sulfur-bearing fossil fuels.

Sulfur dioxide
Skeletal formula sulfur dioxide with assorted dimensions
Spacefill model of sulfur dioxide
The Lewis structure of sulfur dioxide (SO2), showing unshared electron pairs.
Names
IUPAC name
Sulfur dioxide
Other names
Sulfurous anhydride
Sulfur(IV) oxide
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
3535237
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
ECHA InfoCard 100.028.359 Edit this at Wikidata
EC Number
  • 231-195-2
E number E220 (preservatives)
1443
KEGG
MeSH Sulfur+dioxide
RTECS number
  • WS4550000
UNII
UN number 1079, 2037
  • InChI=1S/O2S/c1-3-2 checkY
    Key: RAHZWNYVWXNFOC-UHFFFAOYSA-N checkY
  • InChI=1/O2S/c1-3-2
    Key: RAHZWNYVWXNFOC-UHFFFAOYAT
  • O=S=O
Properties
SO
2
Molar mass 64.066 g mol−1
Appearance Colorless and pungent gas
Odor Pungent; similar to a just-struck match
Density 2.6288 kg m−3[citation needed]
Melting point −72 °C; −98 °F; 201 K
Boiling point −10 °C (14 °F; 263 K)
94 g/L
forms sulfurous acid
Vapor pressure 230 kPa at 10 °C; 330 kPa at 20 °C; 462 kPa at 30 °C; 630 kPa at 40 °C
Acidity (pKa) ~1.81
Basicity (pKb) ~12.19
−18.2·10−6 cm3/mol
Viscosity 12.82 μPa·s
Structure
C2v
Digonal
Dihedral
1.62 D
Thermochemistry
248.223 J K−1 mol−1
−296.81 kJ mol−1
Hazards
GHS labelling:
GHS05: Corrosive GHS06: Toxic
Danger
H314, H331
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
3
0
0
Lethal dose or concentration (LD, LC):
3000 ppm (mouse, 30 min)
2520 ppm (rat, 1 hr)
993 ppm (rat, 20 min)
611 ppm (rat, 5 hr)
764 ppm (mouse, 20 min)
1000 ppm (human, 10 min)
3000 ppm (human, 5 min)
NIOSH (US health exposure limits):
PEL (Permissible)
TWA 5 ppm (13 mg/m3)
REL (Recommended)
TWA 2 ppm (5 mg/m3) ST 5 ppm (13 mg/m3)
IDLH (Immediate danger)
100 ppm
Related compounds
Related sulfur oxides
Sulfur monoxide
Sulfur trioxide
Disulfur monoxide
Related compounds
Ozone

Selenium dioxide
Sulfurous acid
Tellurium dioxide

Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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