Abstract
We demonstrate that the facultative chemoautotroph Thiobacillus novellus CH 3 removes hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) gas in continuous reactors under nutrient-limiting conditions. Extensive tests including removal characteristics, metabolic products, and removal efficiencies of H 2 S by T. novellus CH 3 were conducted in autotrophic and mixotrophic environments. The optimal pH value and temperature required to remove hydrogen sulfide are found to be pH 7 and 26°C. The biofilter had an H 2 S removal efficiency greater than 99.5% under the mixotrophic condition after 10-day operation. The results show that the maximum removal rate and saturation constant were 1.9 g S/d per kg bead and 69.2 ppm, respectively. The main metabolic product of H 2 S oxidation was determined to be sulfate, but the conversion ratio was dependent on the growth environment. These results suggest that the mixotrophic potential of T. novellus CH 3 biofilter provides a significant advantage in H 2 S removal over autotrophic biofilters.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 14304 |
| Pages (from-to) | 362-367 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Environmental Engineering |
| Volume | 124 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 1998 |