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

Highlights

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.

Abstract

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.

Graphical abstract

Keywords

Odor / Two-stage bio-trickling filter process / Bio-trickling filter / Hydrogen sulfide / Volatile organic sulfur compound

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Acknowledgments

This study was financially supported by the Major Science and Technology Program for Water Pollution Control and Treatment (No. 2017ZX07102-003), the 111 Project (No. D16003), and the Funding Projects of Beijing Municipal Commission of Education.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11783-019-1148-x and is accessible for authorized users.

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