Management of hydrogen sulphide generation at a Kraft mill effluent plant

 

 

E Rava^I; JJ Schoeman^I; PJ Allison^II; V Dilsook^III

^IUniversity of Pretoria, Department of Chemical Engineering, Water Utilisation Division, 0002, South Africa
^IIBuckman Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 591, Hammarsdale, KwaZulu-Natal, 3700, South Africa
^IIISappi Management Services - Technology Centre, PO Box 6, Pretoria, 0087, South Africa

Correspondence

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Communities surrounding an integrated Kraft mill noticed odours from the mill's effluent treatment plant. A project was therefore commissioned by the mill to proactively manage the odours from both the pulp-processing operations and the effluent treatment plant. This project formed part of a co-ordinated study that was implemented by the mill to limit emissions of the total reduced sulphur (TRS) components from the pulp mill operations. It was found that sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) converted the sulphates present in the effluent to hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) by dissimilatory respiration. The combined use of a nitrate-releasing biomodifier (Bulab^® 9518) and an anthraquinone sulphate-reduction inhibitor (Busperse® 2432) was effective in reducing both SRB activity and H₂S levels. The average aqueous H₂S levels (40 mg/ℓ) were reduced to between 92% and 99%.

Keywords: biomodifiers, hydrogen sulphide, Kraft mill effluent plant, sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB), anthraquinone, sulphate reduction inhibition, sodium nitrate

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Correspondence:
Buckman Laboratories (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 251
Bedfordview 2008, South Africa
+27 11 997-5100; Fax: +27 11 455-4495
E-mail: emrava@buckman.com

Received 10 July 2007
Accepted in revised form 13 March 2008