The process of removing sulfur or sulfur compounds from something, typically from oil, coal, or metals during industrial processing.
From the prefix 'de-' (meaning to remove) combined with 'sulphur' (the element sulfur) and the suffix '-ating' (indicating ongoing action). The term emerged in the 19th century as industrial chemistry developed methods to purify fuels and metals.
Desulfurization became crucial for environmental protection—removing sulfur from fossil fuels prevents the formation of acid rain, which was destroying forests and lakes throughout Europe and North America in the 20th century.
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