Solubilization of elemental sulfur by surfactants promotes reduction to H 2 S by thiols.

Elemental sulfur (S 8 ) may contribute to sulfane sulfur (S 0 ) storage in biological systems. We demonstrate that surfactants can solubilize S 8 in water and promote S 8 reduction to H 2 S by thiols. Moreover, anionic and cationic surfactants interact differently with intermediate S 0 carriers, highlighting how specific hydrophobic microenvironments impact reactive sulfur species.