An investigation into the options to control hydrogen sulphide in industrial waste water treatment systems

摘要

A research study examined the options for controlling hydrogen sulphide in industrial wasteudwater treatment systemsudIt was found from the study that the principal methods of controlling hydrogen sulphide inudwaste water treatment systems are physical, chemical, biological, or thermal systems.udThe physical methods include containment, dilution, combustion, adsorption, activatedudcarbon, sand, soil, compost beds, oxygen injection, masking agents and wet scrubbers.udThe chemical methods include chemical oxidation, catalytic filtration, chemical adsorption,udcatalytic combustion, electrochemical treatment, nitrate dosing, and chemical scrubbing.udBiological methods include trickling filters, aeration tanks, stripping towers, sulphurudoxidising bacteria, anaerobic biological reduction and lagoons.udThermal methods are thermal conditioning, incineration and flares.udThe research included:ud• A review of available information on sulphide removal and treatment.ud• A review of all methods for sulphide removal to determine effectiveness, applicabilityudand removal efficiency.ud• A review current of experiences in Ireland with sulphide abatement including three siteudvisits.ud• Selection of a method for trial at Aughinish Alumina to abatement sulphide emissionsudfrom an industrial effluent treatment process.ud• Review of trial results with a view to installation of permanent system.udThe trial consisted of the installation of a Bio-reactor which cultured bacteria specific to theudtreatment of sulphide in wastewaters with low organic content and resistant to pHudvariations. The bacteria were cultured every day and dosed into the treatment process overuda one hour period each day for seven weeks. The result was a sulphide reduction of 97%.udThe bacterial addition was stopped, and within a two week period, the sulphide returned toudits original concentration.