Microbial hydrogen sulfide elimination in a continuous biotrickling reactor by immobilized Thiobacillus thioparus

Elimination of hydrogen sulfide from gaseous streams by biological treatments is a promising alternative procedure, among them biotrickling reactor seems a reliable and efficient system. To maximize the performance, strains should have high hydrogen sulfide elimination efficiency; excellent carriers should be selected where the microbes can be immobilized. Various carriers were used as the support medium for the immobilization of Thiobacillus thioparus and a continuous biotrickling reactor was constructed and operated for H₂S elimination. It was found that such systems with Mavicell and Kaldnes supports are able to remove H₂S from gas mixtures with high efficiency (95–100%), and the elimination capacity was calculated as a high as 30–40 g S/(m³·h).