sulphuretted

Sulphuretted is an adjective used in chemistry to describe a substance that contains sulfur or has sulfur as a defining component. The term is rooted in the British spelling of sulfur and is more commonly found in older or regionally traditional scientific writing. In modern American usage, the corresponding terms are often sulfur-containing or simply sulfurized when referring to specific contexts.

Historically, sulphuretted hydrogen is a well-known example, referring to hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a colorless gas with a characteristic rotten-egg odor that is toxic at low concentrations. The descriptor also appears in reference to minerals and ores, such as sulphuretted iron or other sulphide minerals (for example FeS, FeS2), where sulfur is chemically bonded to metals. The phrase can extend to sulphuretted waters or springs, meaning water containing dissolved hydrogen sulfide, producing a distinct taste and odor and potential health concerns.

In practice, the term is now largely superseded by more precise language. Contemporary chemistry typically specifies the exact sulfur-containing group or compound, such as sulfides, thio derivatives, or sulfurated species, to avoid ambiguity. Nevertheless, sulphuretted remains a recognizable historical or regional variant in chemical literature, illustrating how sulfur was historically described in relation to other elements or functional groups.