Aerobic oxidation of hydrogen sulfide by Thiobacillus denitrificans

✍ Scribed by Kerry L. Subletta

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1987
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 507 KB
• Volume: 29
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0006-3592
• DOI: 10.1002/bit.260290605

✦ Synopsis

It has been demonstrated that Thiobacillus denitrificans may be readily cultured aerobically in batch and continuous flow reactors on H2S(g) under sulfide limiting conditions. Under these conditions sulfide concentrations in the culture medium were less than IpM resulting in very low concentrations of H2S in the reactor outlet gas. Biomass yield under aerobic conditions was much lower than previously reported for anaerobic conditions, presumably because of oxygen inhibition of growth. However, biomass yield was not affected by steady state oxygen concentration in the range of 45fl-150pM. Biomass yield was also observed to be essentially independent of specific growth rate in the range of 0.030-0.053 h-'. Indicators of reactor upset were determined and recovery from upset conditions demonstrated. Maximum loading of the biomass for H2S oxidation under aerobic conditions was observed to be 15.1-20.9 mmol/h/g biomass which is much higher than previously reported for anaerobic conditions. Other aspects of the stoichiometry of aerobic H2S oxidation are also reported.