What does bisulfide mean?
Bisulfide is a chemistry term for any compound that contains the monovalent anion HS⁻, known as the hydrogen sulfide or hydrosulfide anion. Such compounds arise when hydrogen sulfide—the gas responsible for the odor of rotten eggs—is partially neutralized by a metal or base. Common examples include sodium bisulfide (NaHS) and ammonium bisulfide, both important industrial reagents: sodium bisulfide serves in kraft pulping for papermaking, ore flotation, and wastewater treatment, while ammonium bisulfide appears in petroleum refining. The prefix 'bi-' here signals the presence of one remaining acidic hydrogen atom on the sulfur, distinguishing bisulfides from fully neutralized sulfides. The word is essentially restricted to scientific and technical registers, appearing in textbooks, patents, and process engineering documents rather than everyday conversation. Related spellings include the British variant 'bisulphide.'
nounA chemical compound containing the monovalent anion HS⁻ (the hydrogen sulfide anion), formed by partial neutralization of hydrogen sulfide with a metal or base; also called a hydrosulfide.
- Any compound of a metal or base with the hydrogen sulfide anion (HS⁻); a hydrosulfide, such as sodium bisulfide or ammonium bisulfide.
"Sodium bisulfide is widely used in the pulp and paper industry to dissolve lignin during kraft pulping."
"In aqueous solution, ammonium bisulfide forms when ammonia partially neutralizes hydrogen sulfide gas in refinery wastewater."
"The chemist prepared a solution of calcium bisulfide to test its reducing properties."
The plural refers collectively to different bisulfide compounds, e.g., various metal bisulfides.
"Metal bisulfides are generally soluble in water and act as sources of the hydrosulfide ion."
The same HS⁻ anion that gives rotten eggs their smell becomes a workhorse of industry — sodium bisulfide helps turn wood into paper and is even studied for roles in human biology.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of bisulfide
The word bisulfide combines the Latin-derived prefix 'bi-' (from 'bis,' meaning twice) with 'sulfide,' which derives from 'sulfur,' a Latin word of uncertain ultimate origin. The term emerged within nineteenth-century European chemistry as systematic nomenclature was developed for salts of acids with replaceable hydrogen atoms, paralleling formations like 'bicarbonate' and 'bisulfate.' It shares its root with the wider family of sulfur-based terms—sulfate, sulfite, sulfoxide—all built on the element's name.
How bisulfide is actually used
A technical term used almost exclusively in chemistry, industrial processing, and related scientific contexts; it does not appear in everyday speech. The spelling 'bisulphide' is the traditional British variant. In modern chemical nomenclature, compounds such as NaHS are more formally named 'sodium hydrosulfide' or 'sodium hydrogen sulfide,' though 'sodium bisulfide' remains common in industrial usage.
Easily confused with bisulfide
A disulfide contains two sulfur atoms bonded together (an S–S linkage), whereas a bisulfide contains a single sulfur atom as part of the HS⁻ anion.
A bisulfate contains the HSO₄⁻ anion derived from sulfuric acid, while a bisulfide contains the HS⁻ anion derived from hydrogen sulfide.