(444d) Removal of Volatile Organic Sulphur Compounds By Solar Advanced Oxidation Technologies and Bioprocesses Oxidation Treatment of Volatile Organic Sulphur Compounds

The continuous increase in world population raised the environmental awareness of public, and have seriously motivated the search for a more suitable alternative method to reduce and control the emission of odors generated by disposal of urban  and industrial wastes [1]. It was reported that most of residential developments near urban disposal and waste treatment plants are exposed to high levels of odorous gases, and there is a serious concerns related to the elimination of these odors that affect the public health. Of the many odorous gases volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) are the most predominant odorous molecules associated with several processes such as petroleum or petrochemical industries.

Advanced oxidation technologies (AOTs) have been considered as an effective and promising technology for treatment of different organic contaminants contained in water and air [14-18]. AOTs are  effective treatment technologies that, if designed properly, could eliminate many harmful contaminants from water and air. With such technologies, problematic compounds can be partially or totally oxidized into smaller by-products that can be easily removed in conventional biological processes [14-18]. AOTs is advantageous because they can be used to oxidize wide varieties of organic contaminates in water and air [19, 20], Hydroxyl radicals generated in AOTs can oxidize organic contaminants in short time and at normal temperature [16,17–19] and  Hydroxyl radicals can be produced by different ways in AOTs allowing a better compliance with different treatment requirements [21, 22].

This study explores the application of advanced oxidation technology (AOTs), solar advanced oxidation technology(solar-AOTs), biological  treatment and the combination of solar advanced oxidation technology and biological treatment as an alternative process for the treatment of VOSCs. This study will be the first pilot scale investigation of the use of solar-AOTs technology for treatment of VOSCs, and will be used to generate the fundamental knowledge  that will be required to narrow down the operational conditions and optimum operation of the pilot-scale system.

The degradations of volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs) by advanced oxidation technology, solar advanced oxidation technology, biological  treatment, and the combination of solar advanced oxidation technology and biological treatment  were studied in a pilot plant. Three volatile organic sulfur compounds ( Methanthiol (MESH),  Dimethyl sulfifde (Me2S) and H2S) were selected as model compounds.  Solar advanced oxidation technologies (AOTs) processes eliminate more than 65% of VOSCs under high residence time.  VOSCs was oxidized to a very low level ≤ 0.2 μg/L in less than 60 min by solar-AOTs and ozone. A significant VOSCs elimination was achieved by solar advanced oxidation in combination with biological treatment. Removal efficiencies up to 95.7 % and 94.7 % of MSH and Me2S were achieved  by combined processes at very low HRT for bioprocess (0.5 day). The results obtained from the combined processes (Solar-AOTs & bioprocess) confirm the suitability of solar AOTs as pre-treatment for VOSCs.