Title: Biodegradation of hydrogen sulphide by inoculated Rhodococcus sp.zw11 in a pilot-scale biotrickling filter

Authors: Lanhe Zhang, Qunhui Wang, Shulei Tian, Xiaoqiang Wang, Weimin Xie, Paul Ta-chin Sun

Addresses: School of Chemical Engineering, Northeast Dianli University, Jilin 132012, China. ' Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China. ' Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China. ' Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China. ' Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150090, China. ' Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China

Abstract: A strain of autotrophic micro-organism, Rhodococcus sp.zw11, was isolated from pharmaceutical wastewater containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S). The shape, physiological and biochemical characteristics and oxidation capacity of Rhodococcus sp.zw11 were studied, and the effect of inlet concentration and volumetric loading of H2S on the removal efficiency was evaluated by the biotrickling filter inoculated with Rhodococcus sp.zw11. The results suggested that the optimal temperature of Rhodococcus sp.zw11 (aerobic bacilli, short rod and gram-negative) was from 20°C to 28°C and the optimal pH was from 5.5 to 6.5. The criteria necessary for a scale-up design of the biotrickling filter were established, and pressure drops at the start and end of the experiment were investigated. The optimal inlet loading could be noted as 180 g/m3h, corresponding to H2S removal efficiency close to 100%. Furthermore, the inoculated biotrickling filter had good ability to resist shock loading, which was a potential industrialisation method to control H2S emissions.

Keywords: hydrogen sulphide emissions; biotrickling filters; deodourisation; volumetric loading; biodegradation; autotrophic microorganisms; pharmaceutical wastewater; Rhodococcus sp.zw11; inlet concentration; removal efficiency; wastewater treatment; environmental pollution.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEP.2009.026061

International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2009 Vol.37 No.4, pp.450 - 465

Published online: 26 May 2009 *

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