Sulfur dioxide, (SO2), inorganic compound, a heavy, colourless, poisonous gas. It is produced in huge quantities in intermediate steps of sulfuric acid manufacture.
Sulfur dioxide can be liquefied under moderate pressures at room temperatures; the liquid freezes at −73° C (−99.4° F) and boils at −10° C (14° F) under atmospheric pressure. Although its chief uses are in the preparation of sulfuric acid, sulfur trioxide, and sulfites, sulfur dioxide also is used as a disinfectant, a refrigerant, a reducing agent, a bleach, and a food preservative, especially in dried fruits.