Dimethyl sulfide is the most common sulfur compound found in nature. It is responsible for the smell of the sea for example and is also produced during the cooking of various vegetables and seafood.
In the food industry, dimethyl sulfide is used as a seasoning component and creates desirable flavors in many foods such as cocoa, tea, and wine.
In the petrochemical industry, dimethyl sulfide is used in the refining of petroleum and in other production processes, such as controlling the formation of coke and carbon monoxide. In addition, dimethyl sulfide is used for dust control in steel rolling mills and in a number of organic syntheses.
Dimethyl sulfoxide is also used as a solvent for paints, as a paint stripper, and as a solvent and oxidizer in organic chemistry and biotechnology.