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It is a colorless, odorless, non-flammable and non-toxic gas. It is a hypervalent molecule. SF6 is 23,500 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas, but it exists in relatively small concentrations in the atmosphere. Its concentration in the Earth’s troposphere reached 10.63 parts per trillion (ppt) in 2021, increasing at a rate of 0.39 ppt/year. The increase seen over the last 40 years was driven, in large part, by the expansion of the electrical energy sector. The use of SF6 in the manufacture of magnesium, aluminum and electronics has also accelerated atmospheric growth.
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