Acid-gas bioconversion favors sulfur production

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Biotechnol. Bioeng. Symp.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5913593

Cork, D J; Ma, S

Chemical acid-gas conversion systems are available for converting H/sub 2/S to S/sup 0/. These include the Claus and Stretford processes. a photosynthetic anaerobic bioprocess for acid-gas removal has been developed which utilizes carbon dioxide instead of O/sub 2/ as the final electron acceptor. The carbohydrate produced by this reaction is of the general formula (CH/sub 2/O)/sub n/ and the photoautotrophic microorganism which catalyzes acid-gas bioconversion is Chlorobium thiosulfatophilum. Although orthorhombic sulfur is excreted by Chlorobium, the production of oxidized sulfur compounds decreases the yield of elemental sulfur from H/sub 2/S, and it is therefore desirable to control this side reaction. This article describes how the production of sulfate may be retarded. The factors studied were the effect of H/sub 2/S molar flow rate on the conversion of H/sub 2/S to SO/sub 4//sup -2/ and the effect of space velocity on the percentage conversion of H/sub 2/S to SO/sub 4//sup -2/. A higher percentage H/sub 2/S conversion to sulfate was associated with lower H/sub 2/S gas inflow rates; and at low space-velocity, a high conversion of H/sub 2/S to SO/sub 4//sup -2/ was achieved. 3 figures. (DP)

• Research Organization: Illinois Inst. of Tech., Chicago
• OSTI ID: 5913593
• Report Number(s): CONF-820580-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Biotechnol. Bioeng. Symp.; (United States) Journal Volume: 12
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BINDING ENERGY
BIOCONVERSION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DESULFURIZATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY
FERMIONS
FLOW RATE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
LEPTONS
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA
PRODUCTION
SULFATES
SULFIDES
SULFUR
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
VALENCE
VELOCITY