Removal of sulfur dioxide (SO.sub.2) from waste gases and recovery as sulfuric acid

A process for the mitigation and control of air pollution caused by the emission of sulfur dioxide in effluent vent, flue or exhaust gas, said process comprising the removal of sulfur dioxide from such effluent vent, flue or exhaust gas by means of steps in a continuous cycle of

• scrubbing the gas in a confined scrubbing zone with an aqueous acid stream comprising sulfuric acid ranging in concentration between about 5 to 93 weight percent to solubilize and remove sulfur dioxide from the gas and convert the thus removed sulfur dioxide to sulfurous acid,
• subjecting the acid stream containing the thus produced sulfurous acid to electrolysis in an electrolytic cell comprising an anode and a cathode, applying a potential across said electrodes of about 0.6 volts to about 1.7 volts, to oxidize the sulfurous acid to sulfuric acid,
• recycling the acid stream resulting from the electrolysis step to the scrubbing zone, while maintaining the concentration of the aqueous acid stream by means of make-up water or acid, and
• repeating said continuous cycle of steps of scrubbing with the stream, subjecting the scrubbing stream to electrolysis, and recycling the electrolyzed stream for scrubbing while maintaining the concentration of the scrubbing stream.