Photoautotrophic removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas using purple and green sulfur bacteria

Martin Struk; Cristian A Sepúlveda-Muñoz; Ivan Kushkevych; Raúl Muñoz

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130337

Photoautotrophic removal of hydrogen sulfide from biogas using purple and green sulfur bacteria

J Hazard Mater. 2023 Feb 5;443(Pt B):130337. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130337. Epub 2022 Nov 5.

Authors

Martin Struk¹, Cristian A Sepúlveda-Muñoz², Ivan Kushkevych³, Raúl Muñoz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Kamenice 735/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
² Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
³ Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University in Brno, Kamenice 735/5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.
⁴ Institute of Sustainable Processes, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain; Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, School of Industrial Engineering, University of Valladolid, Dr. Mergelina s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain. Electronic address: mutora@iq.uva.es.

PMID: 36370482
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130337

Abstract

Biogas desulfurization based on anoxygenic photosynthetic processes represents an alternative to physicochemical technologies, decreasing the risk of O₂ and N₂ contamination. This work aimed at assessing the potential of Allochromatium vinosum and Chlorobium limicola for biogas desulfurization under different light intensities (10 and 25 klx) and H₂S concentrations (1 %, 1.5 % and 2 %) in batch photobioreactors. In addition, the influence of rising biogas flow rates (2.9, 5.8 and 11.5 L d^-1 in stage I, II and III, respectively) on the desulfurization performance in a 2.3 L photobioreactor utilizing C. limicola under continuous mode was assessed. The light intensity of 25 klx negatively influenced the growth of A. vinosum and C. limicola, resulting in decreased H₂S removal capacity. An increase in H₂S concentrations resulted in higher volumetric H₂S removal rates in C. limicola (2.9-5.3 mg L^-1 d^-1) tests compared to A. vinosum (2.4-4.6 mg L^-1 d^-1) tests. The continuous photobioreactor completely removed H₂S from biogas in stage I and II. The highest flow rate in stage III induced a deterioration in the desulfurization activity of C. limicola. Overall, the high H₂S tolerance of A. vinosum and C. limicola supports their use in H₂S desulfurization from biogas.

Keywords: Desulfurization; H(2)S; Methane; Photosynthetic bacteria.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biofuels
Chlorobi*
Hydrogen Sulfide*
Photobioreactors

Substances

Biofuels
Hydrogen Sulfide