What is the most produced industrial chemical in the world?

• A. Ammonia
• B. Sulfuric acid
• C. Ethylene
• D. Sodium hydroxide

Answer: (B)

Sulfuric acid is produced in the largest quantities because it acts as a foundation for fertilizer production and is a key reagent across many industries. In agriculture, a huge portion of sulfuric acid is used to process phosphate rock into phosphoric acid, which is then turned into phosphate fertilizers that support global crop yields. The demand for these fertilizers is massive and steady, driving enormous annual production.

Beyond fertilizers, sulfuric acid plays a central role in metal processing, petroleum refining, paper and pulp, dyes and textiles, and the synthesis of countless other chemicals. That breadth of use means a single chemical is needed in hundreds of millions of tonnes each year, more than most other industrial chemicals.

The production route itself is well-suited to large-scale output: sulfur is oxidized to sulfur dioxide, then to sulfur trioxide over a catalyst, and finally absorbed in water to form sulfuric acid. This process scales efficiently, enabling very high production volumes.

Other chemicals on the list are produced in very large amounts, but not to the same total extent as sulfuric acid because sulfuric acid’s versatility touches so many sectors of the economy.