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Frontiers of Environmental Science & Engineering

ISSN 2095-2201

ISSN 2095-221X(Online)

CN 10-1013/X

Postal Subscription Code 80-973

2018 Impact Factor: 3.883

Front. Environ. Sci. Eng.    2019, Vol. 13 Issue (4) : 60    https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-019-1148-x
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic sulfur compounds in off-gas mixture from a wastewater treatment plant using a two-stage bio-trickling filter system
Shihao Sun, Tipei Jia, Kaiqi Chen, Yongzhen Peng(), Liang Zhang
National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology and Key Laboratory of Beijing for Water Quality Science and Water Environment Recovery Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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Abstract

A two-stage BTF system was established treating odorous off-gas mixture from a WWTP.

The two-stage BTF system showed resistance for the lifting load of H2S and VOSC.

Miseq Illumina sequencing showed separated functional microbial community in BTFs.

Avoiding H2S inhibition and enhancement of VOSC degradation was achieved.

Key control point was discussed to help industrial application of the system.

Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) in off-gas mixture from a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is difficult due to the occasional inhibitory effects of H2S on VOSC degradation. In this study, a two-stage bio-trickling filter (BTF) system was developed to treat off-gas mixture from a real WWTP facility. At an empty bed retention time of 40 s, removal efficiencies of H2S, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide, and dimethyl disulfide were 90.1, 88.4, 85.8, and 61.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of lifting load shock on system performance was investigated and results indicated that removal of both H2S and VOSCs was slightly affected. Illumina Miseq sequencing revealed that the microbial community of first-stage BTF contained high abundance of H2S-affinity genera including Acidithiobacillus (51.43%), Metallibacterium (25.35%), and Thionomas (8.08%). Analysis of mechanism demonstrated that first stage of BTF removed 86.1% of H2S, mitigating the suppression on VOSC degradation in second stage of BTF. Overall, the two-stage BTF system, an innovative bioprocess, can simultaneously remove H2S and VOSC.

Keywords Odor      Two-stage bio-trickling filter process      Bio-trickling filter      Hydrogen sulfide      Volatile organic sulfur compound     
Corresponding Author(s): Yongzhen Peng   
Just Accepted Date: 24 May 2019   Issue Date: 26 July 2019
 Cite this article:   
Shihao Sun,Tipei Jia,Kaiqi Chen, et al. Simultaneous removal of hydrogen sulfide and volatile organic sulfur compounds in off-gas mixture from a wastewater treatment plant using a two-stage bio-trickling filter system[J]. Front. Environ. Sci. Eng., 2019, 13(4): 60.
 URL:  
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/10.1007/s11783-019-1148-x
https://academic.hep.com.cn/fese/EN/Y2019/V13/I4/60
Fig.1  Schematic illustration of the two-stage BTF system with PP ring carrier: (1) fine grid reservoir with a lid; (2) gas cylinder to form different inlet concentration of RSCs; (3) air pump; (4) rotary flow controller; (5) inlet port leaned downward to make the gas distribution uniform; (6) peristaltic pump to lift the recirculated water; (7) water tank; (8) the sprayer made by silicone tube with dispersed perforations; and (9) WTW DO/pH meter.
Characteristics Diameter
(mm)
Height
(mm)
Porosity
(%)
Bulk density
(g/L)
Particle density
(g/L)
Specific surface area
(m2/m3)
Value 25 10 90 124.43 124.4 950–1000
Tab.1  Porosity, dry bulk density, particle density, and specific surface area characteristics of PP ring carrier
Phase Duration
(days)
EBRT
(s)
Flow of recirculation Inlet concentration (mg/m3)
(L/min) H2S MT DMS DMDS
I 1–19 20 1 38–363 9–33 1–9 1–7
II 20–35 20 1 300600a 7–30 3–12 1–3
III 36–49 20 1 90–350 1075a 5–14 1–7
IV 50–61 20 2.5 230–390 14–30 6–15 225a
V 62–73 20 2.5 8–290 7–19 545a 1–4
Tab.2  Operating conditions for the two-stage BTF system
Fig.2  (a) The long-term performance of two-stage BTF system over 73-day operating period; and (b) pH variation in Acid-Tank and Neutral-Tank during operation.
Fig.3  Elimination capacity of VOSC versus H2S/VOSC in acid-BTF.
Reference Gas source Parameters Performances Sulfur load rate
(H2S-S; VOSC-S)
Inlet H2S/
VOSC
RE of VOSC in first BTF
Compounds LR (average) Packing materials pH b EBRT Inoculum source c ECmax Corresponding RE
(g/m3/h) (s) (g/m3/h) % (g S/m3/h) (%)
Pinjing et al. (2001) H2S
MT
~210.8 a
~0.14
Immobilized microorganism beads 2~3;
6~8
15
13
Acclimation 270.8
0.17
98
~80
198.4;
0.09
2204 100;
0
Sercu et al. (2005) H2S
DMS
~64
63
Polyethylene rings 2~3;
6~7
120 A thiooxidans;
Hyphomicrobium
83
58
100
88
56.5;
30.9
1.8 90.0;
2.1
Silva et al. (2012) H2S
DMS
0.425
0.75
PP rings 3.5;
7.43
120 A. thiooxidans;
T. thioparus
- - 48;
48
1 -
Ruokojärvi et al. (2001) H2S
MT
DMS
42.1
2.7
38.5
Ceramics 2;
~6.5
61~13118 Sludge from refinery ~48
~2.7
~36
99
99
99
9.9;
21.7
0.46 96.8;
48.1
Li et al. (2003) H2S
MT
DMS
DMDS
5.61
1.21
60.86
13.96
Wood chips+ compost 2.6;
6.4
35
53
Municipal compost - ~100
~99
~80
~97
5.28;
36.97
0.14 72.1;
57.4
Ramírez et al., (2011) H2S
MT
DMS
DMDS
~23.5
2.7
2.3
5.7
PUF 2;
7
59
59
Acidithiobacillus;
T. thioparus
33.7
2.4
2.2
5.38
99.4
90.7
95.4
92.8
11.7;
6.87
1.7 98.5;
51.2
This research H2S
MT
DMS
DMDS
43.6
3.8
1.8
0.9
PP rings 1–3;
4–7
20 Sludge from second settling tank 78.76 d
11.65
6.80
2.03
97.5
95.5
93.6
90.4
41.10;
3.45
10.9 85.0;
18.5
Tab.3  Some parameters of the two-stage BTF systems and performance of the degradation for each RSC compound
Fig.4  (a) Venn diagram of OTUs with inoculum, biofilm taken from acid-BTF, and biofilm taken from neutral-BTF; and (b) Relative abundance of bacterial community at genus level in inoculum, biofilm taken from acid-BTF, and biofilm taken from neutral-BTF.
Samples Sequences 0.97 similarity
OTUs Coverage ACE Chao Shannon Simpson
Inoculum 47261 638 0.9994 647.85 653.75 4.88 0.0272
Acid-BTF 7511 119 0.9940 202.22 189.71 2.03 0.2124
Neutral-BTF 46541 413 0.9981 489.94 504.14 3.47 0.0736
Tab.4  Richness and diversity of inoculum, biofilm taken from acid-BTF, and biofilm taken from neutral-BTF revealed by Illumina high-throughput sequencing analysis
Fig.5  Mechanism and quantifications of sulfur removal in the two-stage BTF system used for treating gas mixture of H2S and VOSCs.
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