Treatment of odorous sulphur compounds by chemical scrubbing with hydrogen peroxide—Application to a laboratory plant

Iron carbon particle dosing for odor control in sewers: Laboratory tests

Treatment of malodor in the sewer system is a priority in many municipalities for human health concerns, sewer pipe corrosion prevention. In this study, the removal effects of iron-carbon (Fe-C) particles on the inhibition of sulfide in the liquid phase, as well as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) and methyl mercaptan (MeSH) in the headspace were investigated using laboratory-scale reactors simulating gravity-flow sewer system. The results indicated that the sulfide in the liquid phase can be reduced from 15.1 to 16.5 mg S/L to 0.05 and 0.14 mg S/L after 70 g/L and 50 g/L Fe-C particles dosing. The flux of H₂S and MeSH in the headspace was also inhibited, and its flux decreased by up to 99%. Meanwhile, the microbial community structures of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) and sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in the sediment surface and water were also analyzed, and the results revealed that the relative abundance of SRB in the water and sediment surface was inhibited greatly after adding Fe-C particles, especially for Sulfurospirillum, Clostridium, and Desulfovibrio, while Fe-C particles promoted the growth of SOB. Moreover, the surface deposition was collected and analyzed through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the results indicated that sulfide can be removed by co-precipitation with ferrous ions formed through micro-electrolysis of Fe-C. This study provides a new approach to control the in-situ odor pollution for sewage systems.

Recent advances in the chemical oxidation of gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in liquid phase

The chemical oxidation of gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in liquid phase may possess great advantages in its high removal efficiency, mild conditions, good reliability, wide applicability, and little potential secondary pollution, which has aroused extensive research interests in the past decade. This Overview Article summarizes the latest achievements to eliminate VOCs by chemical oxidation in liquid phase including gas-liquid mass transfer, homogeneous/heterogeneous oxidation, electrochemical oxidation, and coupling technologies. Important research contributions are highlighted in terms of mass transfer, catalytic materials, removal/mineralization efficiency, and reaction mechanism to evaluate their potential industrial applications. The current challenges and future strategies are discussed from the viewpoint of the deep degradation of refractory VOC substrates and their intermediates. It is anticipated that this review will attract more attention toward the development and application of chemical oxidation methods to clear complex industrial organic exhaust gas.

Characterisation of aluminium black dross before and after stepwise salt-phase dissolution in non-aqueous solvents

Aqueous leaching to recover salts from black dross is accompanied by hazardous gas generation. The gas-generating phases vary significantly across differently sourced black dross. The challenge for the industry is how to accurately qualify and quantify the problematic components of black dross, especially minor reactive phases. This paper employed XRF, EDX, XRD, Raman and FTIR to analyse two industrial black dross samples from various sources. A novel pre-treatment method before characterisation was devised using water-free glycerol and anhydrous ethanol to remove the major salt components, without reacting the gas-generating phases. The results show that around 80 % of the salts existent in the black dross had been removed successfully through pre-treatment. This method facilitated the determination of minor reactive phases characterised by XRD, XRF and EDX, and had little effect on the characterisation by Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The ammonia-generating nitride phase was detected by XRD, Raman and FTIR. The FTIR, moreover, allowed the successful identification of carbide. Best practice guidelines for the industrial analysis of black dross has been proposed. The guidelines would provide industry with evidence to include or adjust gas treatment methods and operational parameters when dealing with compositional variability in industrially-sourced black dross.

Technologies for deodorization of malodorous gases

There is an increasing number of citizens' complaints about odor nuisance due to production or service activity. High social awareness imposes pressure on entrepreneurs and service providers forcing them to undertake effective steps aimed at minimization of the effects of their activity, also with respect to emission of malodorous substances. The article presents information about various technologies used for gas deodorization. Known solutions can be included into two groups: technologies offering prevention of emissions, and methodological solutions that enable removal of malodorous substances from the stream of emitted gases. It is obvious that the selection of deodorization technologies is conditioned by many factors, and it should be preceded by an in-depth analysis of possibilities and limitations offered by various solutions. The aim of the article is presentation of the available gas deodorization technologies as to facilitate the potential investors with selection of the method of malodorous gases emission limitation, suitable for particular conditions.

Simulation of hydrogen sulphide absorption in alkaline solution using a packed column

In this work, a simulation tool was developed for hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) removal in an alkaline solution in packed columns working at countercurrent. Modelling takes into account the mass-transfer enhancement due to the reversible reactions between H₂S and the alkaline species (CO(²⁻)(3), HCO⁻(3), and HO⁻) in the liquid film. Many parameters can be controlled by the user such as the gas and liquid inlet H₂S concentrations, the gas and liquid flow rates, the scrubbing liquid pH, the desired H₂S removal efficiency, the temperature, the alkalinity, etc. Since the influence of the hydrodynamic and mass-transfer performances in a packed column is well known, the numerical resolutions performed were dedicated to the study of the influence of the chemical conditions (through the pH and the alkalinity), the temperature and the liquid-to-gas mass flow rate ratio (L/G). A packed column of 3 m equipped with a given random packing material working at countercurrent and steady state has been modelled. The results show that the H₂S removal efficiency increases with the L/G, the pH, the alkalinity and more surprisingly with the temperature. Alkalinity has a very significant effect on the removal efficiency through the mass-transfer enhancement and buffering effect, which limits pH decreasing due to H₂S absorption. This numerical resolution provides a tool for designers and researchers involved in H₂S treatment to understand deeper the process and optimize their processes.

Integration of advanced oxidation processes at mild conditions in wet scrubbers for odourous sulphur compounds treatment

The effectiveness of different advanced oxidation processes on the treatment of a multicomponent aqueous solution containing ethyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulphide and dimethyl disulphide (0.5 mg L(-1) of each sulphur compound) was investigated with the objective to assess which one is the most suitable treatment to be coupled in wet scrubbers used in odour treatment facilities. UV/H2O2, Fenton, photo-Fenton and ozone treatments were tested at mild conditions and the oxidation efficiency obtained was compared. The oxidation tests were carried out in magnetically stirred cylindrical quartz reactors using the same molar concentration of oxidants (hydrogen peroxide or ozone). The results show that ozone and photo-Fenton are the most efficient treatments, achieving up to 95% of sulphur compounds oxidation and a mineralisation degree around 70% in 10 min. Furthermore, the total costs of the treatments taking into account the capital and operational costs were also estimated for a comparative purpose. The economic analysis revealed that the Fenton treatment is the most economical option to be integrated in a wet scrubber to remove volatile organic sulphur compounds, as long as there are no space constraints to install the required reactor volume. In the case of reactor volume limitation or retrofitting complexities, the ozone and photo-Fenton treatments should be considered as viable alternatives.

A single catalyst of aqueous CoIII for deodorization of mixture odor gases: a development and reaction pathway study at electro-scrubbing process

A constant generation of aqueous Co(III) active catalyst and its utility on various odor gases deodorization at electro-scrubbing process is the primary investigation. The Co(III) activation and regeneration for continuous use is established by electrochemical undivided cell in H₂SO₄ medium. The generated aqueous Co(III) is then applied to simultaneous deodorization of simulated odor gases, namely, ammonia, trimethylamine, hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, and acetaldehyde, for municipal waste treatment plant emissions. The electro-scrubbing process results indicated that deodorization is almost complete at a low gas flow rate of 30 L min(-1). FTIR and pH studies demonstrated that amine compounds are removed via complex formation with H₂SO₄ and Co(III). In the case of sulfur compounds, deodorization of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide are removed by the Co(III)-MEO (Co(III)-mediated electrocatalytic oxidation) process via the formation of acetic acid as intermediate and SO₄(2-) as a product. Also, acetaldehyde deodorization results obtained by pH, total acidity and CO₂ analyses evidence the process follow Co(III)-MEO. The constant generation of aqueous active Co(III) and an electro-scrubbing process offers promise as a means of removing odorous waste gases from gaseous emissions.

Biogas generation from in-storage psychrophilic anaerobic digestion

In-storage psychrophilic anaerobic digestion (ISPAD) is a technology allowing livestock producers to operate an anaerobic digester with minimum technological know-how and for the cost of a conventional storage cover. Nevertheless, the system is exposed to ambient temperatures and biogas production is expected to vary with climatic conditions. The objective of the project was therefore to measure ISPAD biogas production during the winter and fall seasons for a region east of Montreal, Canada. A calibrated biogas monitoring system was used to monitor biogas methane and carbon dioxide concentrations inside a two-year-old field installation with a 1000 m3 storage capacity. Despite a leaking pumping hatch, winter 2010 (January to March) methane concentrations varied directly with solar radiation and maximum exterior temperature, rather than with manure temperature at 2.4 and 1.2 m depths which remained relatively constant between 1 and 5 degrees C. During a six-month-period from November 2009 to April 2010, inclusively, the field ISPAD degraded 34% of the manure volatile solids corresponding to an average methane production of 40 m3/d. The ISPAD biogas production could be further increased by improving its air tightness and intrusion and by regularly pumping out the biogas.

Design and scale-up of an oxidative scrubbing process for the selective removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas

Reliable and selective removal of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) is an essential part of the biogas upgrading procedure in order to obtain a marketable and competitive natural gas substitute for flexible utilization. A promising biogas desulfurization technology has to ensure high separation efficiency regardless of process conditions or H(2)S load without the use or production of toxic or ecologically harmful substances. Alkaline oxidative scrubbing is an interesting alternative to existing desulfurization technologies and is investigated in this work. In experiments on a stirred tank reactor and a continuous scrubbing column in laboratory-scale, H(2)S was absorbed from a gas stream containing large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO(2)) into an aqueous solution prepared from sodium hydroxide (NaOH), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO(3)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)). The influence of pH, redox potential and solution aging on the absorption efficiency and the consumption of chemicals was investigated. Because of the irreversible oxidation reactions of dissolved H(2)S with H(2)O(2), high H(2)S removal efficiencies were achieved while the CO(2) absorption was kept low. At an existing biogas upgrading plant an industrial-scale pilot scrubber was constructed, which efficiently desulfurizes 180m(3)/h of raw biogas with an average removal efficiency of 97%, even at relatively high and strongly fluctuating H(2)S contents in the crude gas.

The combined removal of methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulfide via an electro-reactor process using a low concentration of continuously regenerable Ag(II) active catalyst

In this study, an electrocatalytic wet scrubbing process was developed for the simultaneous removal of synthetic odorous gases namely, methyl mercaptan (CH(3)SH) and hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S). The initial process consists of the absorption of CH(3)SH and H(2)S gases by an absorbing solution, followed by their mediated electrochemical oxidation using a low concentration of active Ag(II) in 6M HNO(3). Experiments were conducted under different reaction conditions, such as CH(3)SH and H(2)S loadings, active Ag(II) concentrations and molar flow rates. The cyclic voltammetry for the oxidation of CH(3)SH corroborated the electro-reactor results, in that the silver in the 6M HNO(3) reaction solution significantly influences the oxidation of CH(3)SH. At a low active Ag(II) concentration of 0.0012 M, the CH(3)SH removal experiments demonstrated that the CH(3)SH degradation was steady, with 100% removal at a CH(3)SH loading of 5 gm(-3) h(-1). The electro-reactor and cyclic voltammetry results indicated that the removal of H(2)S (100%) follows a mediated electrocatalytic oxidation reaction. The simultaneous removal of 100% of the CH(3)SH and H(2)S was achieved, even with a very low active Ag(II) concentration (0.0012 M), as a result of the high efficiency of the Ag(II). The parallel cyclic voltammetry results demonstrated that a process of simultaneous destruction of both CH(3)SH and H(2)S follows an H(2)S influenced mediated electrocatalytic oxidation. The use of a very low concentration of the Ag(II) mediator during the electro-reactor process is promising for the complete removal of CH(3)SH and H(2)S.

Kinetics determination of electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) using carbon fiber microelectrode in electroenzymatic degradation of phenolic compounds

The kinetics of electrogenerated hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), which can activate peroxidases in an electroenzymatic process, was examined by an amperometric technique using a carbon fiber microelectrode that was modified by polyaniline (PAn) film and platinum particles. The electrogeneration of H(2)O(2) was found to be dependent on the pH and applied potential, and resulting in a variable current response of the carbon fiber microelectrode. The highest amount of H(2)O(2) was electrogenerated when 2.3 V was applied between the Pt/Ti anode and a reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) cathode at pH 6.0, with a current response of 0.0190 microA min(-1). Phenol was completely degraded by the electroenzymatic reaction of the immobilized horseradish peroxidase (HRP), and the time required for the electrogeneration of H(2)O(2) increased according to the initial concentration of phenol. The degradation stoichiometric ratio between the electrogenerated H(2)O(2) and the aqueous phenol under HRP immobilized on RVC was found to be 1:1.