Abatement of sulfide generation in sewage by glutaraldehyde supplementation and the impact on the activated sludge accordingly

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide emission in sewer systems is associated with toxicity, corrosion, odour nuisance and high costs treatment. In this study, a novel method to inhibit sulfide generation from sewage by means of glutaraldehyde supplementation has been suggested and evaluated under anaerobic conditions. Different concentrations of glutaraldehyde at 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 mg·L^-1 have been investigated. Besides, the possible impacts of glutaraldehyde supplementation on an activated sludge system and an appraisal of the economic aspects are presented as well. As observed from the experimental results, a dosage of 20 mg·L^-1 glutaraldehyde resulted in a significant decrease of the sulfide production by 70%–80% in the simulated sewage. Moreover, the impacts of additional glutaraldehyde at 20 mg·L^-1 on activated sludge, in terms of chemical oxygen demand removal and oxygen uptake rates, were negligible. From an economical point of view, the cost of the commercial glutaraldehyde products required in the operation, which was calculated on the basis of activated sulfide removal avoidance, was around €3.7–4.6 S·kg^-1. Therefore it is suggested that glutaraldehyde supplementation is a feasible technique to abate the sulfide problems in sewer systems. Yet further research is required to elucidate the optimum “booster” dosage and the dosing frequency in situ accordingly.

Keywords

corrosion / glutaraldehyde / sulfate-reducing bacteria / sulfide / urban sewage

References

[1] US EPA. Process design manual for sulfide control in sanitary sewer systems. EPA Number: 625174005, 1974

[2] Vincke E, Boon N, Verstraete W. Analysis of the microbial communities on corroded concrete sewer pipes–a case study. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2001, 57(5–6): 776–785

[3] Tomar M, Abdullah T. Evaluation of chemicals to control the generation of malodorous hydrogen-sulfide in waste-water. Water Research, 1994, 28(12): 2545–2552

[4] Hvitved-Jacobsen T. Sewer systems and processes–microbial and chemical process engineering of sewer networks. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2002, 237–238

[5] Zhang L H, de Schryver P, de Gusseme B, de Muynck W, Boon N, Verstraete W. Chemical and biological technologies for hydrogen sulfide emission control in sewer systems: a review. Water Research, 2008, 42(1–2): 1–12

[6] Boon A G. Septicity in sewers: causes, consequences and containment. Water Science and Technology, 1995, 31(7): 237–253

[7] Boon A G, Alison J V, Boon G K. Avoiding the problems of septic sewage. Water Science and Technology, 1998, 37(1): 223–231

[8] Bentzen G, Smith A T, Bennet D, Webster N J, Reinholt F, Sletholt E, Hobson J. Controlled dosing of nitrate for prevention of H₂S in a sewer network and the effects on the subsequent treatment process. Water Science and Technology, 1995, 31(7): 293–302

[9] Londry K L, Suflita J M. Use of nitrate to control sulfide generation by sulfate-reducing bacteria associated with oily waste. Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1999, 22(6): 582–589

[10] Hobson J, Yang G. The ability of selected chemicals for suppressing odour development in rinsing mains. Water Science and Technology, 2000, 41(6): 165–173

[11] Gutierrez O, Mohanakrishnan J, Sharma K R, Meyer R L, Keller J, Yuan Z. Evaluation of oxygen injection as a means of controlling sulfide production in a sewer system. Water Research, 2008, 42(17): 4549–4561

[12] Padival N A, Kimbell W A, Redner J A. Use of iron salts to control dissolved sulfide in trunk sewers. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 1995, 121(11): 824–829

[13] Zhang L H, Mendoza L, Marzorati M, Verstraete W. Inhibition of sulfide generation by dosing formaldehyde and its derivatives in sewage under anaerobic conditions. Water Science and Technology, 2008, 57(6): 915–919

[14] Bowker R P G, Audibert G A, Shah H J, Webster N A. Detection, control, and correction of hydrogen sulfide corrosion in existing wastewater systems. EPA 832-R-92-001, U.S. EPA Office of Water. Washington, D C, USA, 1992

[15] Zhang L H, de Gusseme B, Cai LK, de Schryver P, Marzorati M, Boon N, Lens P, Verstraete W. Addition of an aerated iron-rich waste-activated sludge to controlthe soluble sulphide concentration in sewage. Water and Environmental Journal. 2011, 25(1): 106– 115

[16] de Gusseme B, de Schryver P, de Cooman M, Verbeken K, Boeckx P, Verstraete W, Boon N. Nitrate-reducing, sulfide-oxidizing bacteria as microbial oxidants for rapid biological sulfide removal. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 2009, 67(1): 151–161

[17] Hohreiter D W, Rigg D K. Derivation of ambient water quality criteria for formaldehyde. Chemosphere, 2001, 45(4–5): 471–486

[18] Azadi S, Klink K J, Meade B J. Divergent immunological responses following glutaraldehyde exposure. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2004, 197(1): 1–8

[19] US EPA. Methods for chemical analysis of water and wastes. Method 376.2, US EPA, 1983

[20] Jayakrishnan A, Jameela S R. Glutaraldehyde as a fixative in bioprostheses and drug delivery matrices. Biomaterials, 1996, 17(5): 471–484

[21] National Occupational Health and Safety Commission (NOHSC). Approved criteria for classifying hazardous substances, 3rd ed. National Occupational Health and Safety Commission. Canberra, Australia, 2004

[22] Bedino J H. Glutaraldehyde: safe use in embalming and exposure concerns as a preferred alternative to formaldehyde. An official publication of the Research and Education Department. Springfield: The Champion Company, 2004, 2650–2661

[23] Takigawa T, Endo Y. Effects of glutaraldehyde exposure on human health. Journal of Occupational Health, 2006, 48(2): 75–87

[24] Smith D R, Wang R S. Glutaraldehyde exposure and its occupational impact in the health care environment. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine, 2006, 11(1): 3–10

[25] Lutterbach M T S, de Franca F P. Biofilm formation in water cooling systems. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology, 1996, 12(4): 391–394

[26] Anchliya A. New nitrate-based treatments-a novel approach to control hydrogen sulfide in reservoir and to increase oil recovery. SPE Europec/EAGE Annual Conference and Exhibition. Vienna, Austria, 2006

[27] Leung H W. Ecotoxicology of glutaraldehyde: review of environmental fate and effects studies. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 2001, 49(1): 26–39

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 20906026 and 51101058) and Shanghai Pujiang Program (09PJ1402900).

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2014 Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg