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Sulfide oxidation and nitrate reduction for potential mitigation of H2S in landfills

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Abstract

Because H2S emitted by landfill sites has seriously endangered human health, its removal is urgent. H2S removal by use of an autotrophic denitrification landfill biocover has been reported. In this process, nitrate-reducing and sulfide-oxidizing bacteria use a reduced sulfur source as electron donor when reducing nitrate to nitrogen gas and oxidizing sulfur compounds to sulfate. The research presented here was performed to investigate the possibility of endogenous mitigation of H2S by autotrophic denitrification of landfill waste. The sulfide oxidation bioprocess accompanied by nitrate reduction was observed in batch tests inoculated with mineralized refuse from a landfill site. Repeated supply of nitrate resulted in rapid oxidation of the sulfide, indicating that, to a substantial extent, the bioprocess may be driven by functional microbes. This bioprocess can be realized under conditions suitable for the autotrophic metabolic process, because the process occurred without addition of acetate. H2S emissions from landfill sites would be substantially reduced if this bioprocess was introduced.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41471408, and 41101453) and the Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province (LY14D010001).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, 310012, China

    Yuan Fang, Yao Du, Huan Feng, Dong-Sheng Shen & Yu-Yang Long

  2. College of Quality and Safety Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, 310018, China

    Li-Fang Hu

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  1. Yuan Fang
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  2. Yao Du
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  3. Huan Feng
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  4. Li-Fang Hu
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  5. Dong-Sheng Shen
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  6. Yu-Yang Long
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Correspondence to Yu-Yang Long.

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Fang, Y., Du, Y., Feng, H. et al. Sulfide oxidation and nitrate reduction for potential mitigation of H2S in landfills. Biodegradation 26, 115–126 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-015-9720-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-015-9720-y

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