Adsorption of Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) from Municipal Solid Waste by Using Biochars

Abstract

The emission of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) from municipal solid waste is one of the environmental issues that raised the public’s attention and awareness. Exposure to H2S that brings a foul smell of rotten eggs will cause headaches, irritation, dizziness, fatigue, and even death if the concentration of H2S is too high. The study’s goals are to investigate the properties of biochars made from rice hulls, banana peels, and sawdust; to compare the biochars’ physical and chemical properties; and establish the H2S removal efficiency of the three biochars. Biochars derived from rice hull (RHB-500), banana peel (BPB-550), and sawdust (SDB-500) by pyrolysis were used as the adsorbents. The biochar yield, pH, ash content, surface functional group, and morphology of the biochars produced were investigated. In this study, H2S was synthesized by mixing food waste and soil in the experimental column. The H2S produced was reduced by the adsorption method. The removal efficiencies of H2S for each biochar were determined by allowing the synthetic H2S to flow through the two columns that were packed with sand (act as control) and biochars, respectively. All biochars were alkaline, and BPB-550 had the highest pH, followed by SDB-500 and finally RHB-500. The order for removal efficiency of H2S (>94%) is BPB-550 > SDB-500 > RHB-500. Overall, the biochars derived from biomass had a strong ability to act as the adsorbents for H2S removal.