Hydrogen sulfide removal from biogas using pure and mixed cultures of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria biofiltration

Abstract

A novel biofiltration system using pure and mixed cultures of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria immobilized on granular activated carbon (GAC) to purify synthetic and real biogas from a sulfate reaction reactor of concentrated latex industry, contaminated by H 2 S, was studied. Complete H 2 S removal from synthetic biogas was found in pure and mixed culture reactors at 200 ppm initial H 2 S concentration, 35 l h 1 of biogas flow rate and 5.83 l h 1 of airflow rate. H 2 S removal using biofiltration had little effect on the methane content of synthetic biogas. Pure and mixed culture reactors at airflow rates of 0.75-5.83 l h 1 also showed complete H 2 S removal from real biogas. However, H 2 S removal efficiency at the airflow rate of 0.53 l h 1 decreased to 99%. Thus, H 2 S removal using biofiltration had little effect on the methane content of real biogas. The results of this study suggest the feasibility of developing using mixed culture of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria from concentrated latex wastewater for industrial application to remove H 2 S from biogas through biofiltration. © 2011 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.