Dérivés organiques soufrés

The organic derivatives of the sulphur include the following substances: mercaptans or thiols, sulphides, sulphoxides, benzothiazoles, sulphates, thioureas, and sulphones. Their uses are multiple (chemical industry, cosmetics, pharmaceutical industry, pesticides…). Some are used as chemical warfare (mustard gas or yperite, for example). Signs of toxicity frequently occur in the occupational field as few of them are in direct contact with the general population. A lot of these substances have a local toxicity due to their irritant properties. Their systemic toxicity is highly variable according to their chemical structure. Some of these compounds are sensitizing (sulfides, sulfoxides, sulfates…), some are mutagens (such as some sulfides); others have shown carcinogenic properties (mustard gas or yperite, for example), or teratogenic properties in animals (dimethyl sulfoxide, for example).