1. Warning Agent for Natural Gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (Core Application)

Function: Adding a very small amount of ethanethiol (typically on the order of ppm) to these fuel gases gives them a strong, unpleasant "gas smell" or "skunk-like odor." This serves a crucial safety warning function, allowing people to immediately detect and take action when a leak happens.

2. Intermediate in Organic Synthesis and Chemical Production

Ethanethiol is used as a starting material or intermediate in the chemical industry for synthesizing other more complex sulfur-containing compounds.

Production of Pesticides and Herbicides: Used in the synthesis of certain organophosphorus or sulfur-containing pesticides.

Pharmaceutical Synthesis: Serves as a synthetic precursor for certain drug molecules, particularly those containing sulfur heterocycles.

Manufacture of Polymer Additives: For example, as a raw material for certain rubber auxiliaries or stabilizers.

3. Collector in Metal Ore Flotation

In the mining industry, ethanethiol and its derivatives can be used as flotation collectors.

Principle: It can selectively adhere to the surface of specific metal minerals (such as sulfide ores of copper, molybdenum, and lead), making the mineral particles hydrophobic. This allows them to more easily attach to air bubbles and float to the surface, separating them from the gangue.

4. Applications in Specialized Fields

Biological Research: Used as a model compound for studying sulfur metabolism or sulfur-containing amino acids (such as cysteine).

Malodorant: Historically proposed for use as a dispersion agent (e.g., for crowd or animal control), but its irritancy and potential toxicity make this application highly restricted and uncommon.

Trace Tracer: Leveraging its extremely low detection threshold, it can be used to detect minute gas leaks or study airflow models (as a tracer gas).