Polysulfide Concentration and Chain Length in the Biological Desulfurization Process: Effect of Biomass Concentration and the Sulfide Loading Rate.

Removal of hydrogen sulfide (HS) can be achieved using the sustainable biological desulfurization process, where HS is converted to elemental sulfur using sulfide-oxidizing bacteria (SOB). A dual-bioreactor process was recently developed where an anaerobic (sulfidic) bioreactor was used between the absorber column and micro-oxic bioreactor. In the absorber column and sulfidic bioreactor, polysulfides (S) are formed due to the chemical equilibrium between HS and sulfur (S).

Molecular and Physiological Adaptations to Low Temperature in Strains Isolated from Soda Lakes with Different Temperature Regimes.

The genus comprises sulfur-oxidizing bacteria thriving in soda lakes at high pH and salinity. Depending on the geographical location and the season, these lakes can strongly vary in temperature. To obtain a comprehensive understanding of the molecular and physiological adaptations to low temperature, we compared the responses of two strains to low (10°C) and high (30°C) temperatures.

Non-steady diffusion and adsorption of organic micropollutants in ion-exchange membranes: effect of the membrane thickness.

There is no efficient wastewater treatment solution for removing organic micropollutants (OMPs), which, therefore, are continuously introduced to the Earth's surface waters. This creates a severe risk to aquatic ecosystems and human health. In emerging water treatment processes based on ion-exchange membranes (IEM), transport of OMPs through membranes remains unknown.

Halo(natrono)archaea from hypersaline lakes can utilize sulfoxides other than DMSO as electron acceptors for anaerobic respiration.

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) has long been known to support anaerobic respiration in a few species of basically aerobic extremely halophilic euryarchaea living in hypersaline lakes. Recently, it has also been shown to be utilized as an additional electron acceptor in basically anaerobic sulfur-reducing haloarchaea. Here we investigated whether haloarchaea would be capable of anaerobic respiration with other two sulfoxides, methionine sulfoxide (MSO) and tetramethylene sulfoxide (TMSO).

Effect of methanethiol on process performance, selectivity and diversity of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in a dual bioreactor gas biodesulfurization system.

This study provides important new insights on how to achieve high sulfur selectivities and stable gas biodesulfurization process operation in the presence of both methanethiol and HS in the feed gas. On the basis of previous research, we hypothesized that a dual bioreactor lineup (with an added anaerobic bioreactor) would favor sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) that yield a higher sulfur selectivity. Therefore, the focus of the present study was to enrich thiol-resistant SOB that can withstand methanethiol, the most prevalent and toxic thiol in sulfur-containing industrial off gases.

Microbial reduction of organosulfur compounds at cathodes in bioelectrochemical systems.

Organosulfur compounds, present in e.g. the pulp and paper industry, biogas and natural gas, need to be removed as they potentially affect human health and harm the environment.

Effect of dimethyl disulfide on the sulfur formation and microbial community composition during the biological HS removal from sour gas streams.

Removal of organic and inorganic sulfur compounds from sour gases is required because of their toxicity and atmospheric pollution. The most common are hydrogen sulfide (HS) and methanethiol (MT). Under oxygen-limiting conditions about 92 mol% of sulfide is oxidized to sulfur by haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB), whilst the remainder is oxidized either biologically to sulfate or chemically to thiosulfate.

Development and validation of a physiologically based kinetic model for starting up and operation of the biological gas desulfurization process under haloalkaline conditions.

Hydrogen sulfide is a toxic and corrosive gas that must be removed from gaseous hydrocarbon streams prior to combustion. This paper describes a gas biodesulfurization process where sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) facilitate sulfide conversion to both sulfur and sulfate. In order to optimize the formation of sulfur, it is crucial to understand the relations between the SOB microbial composition, kinetics of biological and abiotic sulfide oxidation and the effects on the biodesulfurization process efficiency.

Development of quantitative PCR for the detection of Alkalilimnicola ehrlichii, Thioalkalivibrio sulfidiphilus and Thioalkalibacter halophilus in gas biodesulfurization processes.

Chemolithoautotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria (SOB) are crucial key players in biotechnological processes to remove hydrogen sulfide from sour gas streams. Several different haloalkaliphilic SOB have been detected and isolated from lab- and full-scale facilities, which all performed differently considering end product yields (sulfur and sulfate) and conversion rates. Understanding and regulating bacterial community dynamics in biodesulfurization processes will enable optimization of the process operation.

Discovery of anaerobic lithoheterotrophic haloarchaea, ubiquitous in hypersaline habitats.

Hypersaline anoxic habitats harbour numerous novel uncultured archaea whose metabolic and ecological roles remain to be elucidated. Until recently, it was believed that energy generation via dissimilatory reduction of sulfur compounds is not functional at salt saturation conditions. Recent discovery of the strictly anaerobic acetotrophic Halanaeroarchaeum compels to change both this assumption and the traditional view on haloarchaea as aerobic heterotrophs.

Selection and Application of Sulfide Oxidizing Microorganisms Able to Withstand Thiols in Gas Biodesulfurization Systems.

After the first commercial applications of a new biological process for the removal of hydrogen sulfide (HS) from low pressure biogas, the need arose to broaden the operating window to also enable the removal of organosulfur compounds from high pressure sour gases. In this study we have selected microorganisms from a full-scale biodesulfurization system that are capable of withstanding the presence of thiols. This full-scale unit has been in stable operation for more than 10 years.

Inhibition of a biological sulfide oxidation under haloalkaline conditions by thiols and diorgano polysulfanes.

A novel approach has been developed for the simultaneous description of reaction kinetics to describe the formation of polysulfide and sulfate anions from the biological oxidation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) using a quick, sulfide-dependent respiration test. Next to H2S, thiols are commonly present in sour gas streams. We investigated the inhibition mode and the corresponding inhibition constants of six thiols and the corresponding diorgano polysulfanes on the biological oxidation of H2S.

Electricity generation from an inorganic sulfur compound containing mining wastewater by acidophilic microorganisms.

Sulfide mineral processing often produces large quantities of wastewaters containing acid-generating inorganic sulfur compounds. If released untreated, these wastewaters can cause catastrophic environmental damage. In this study, microbial fuel cells were inoculated with acidophilic microorganisms to investigate whether inorganic sulfur compound oxidation can generate an electrical current.

Influence of methanethiol on biological sulphide oxidation in gas treatment system.

Inorganic and organic sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and thiols (RSH) are unwanted components in sour gas streams (e.g. biogas and refinery gases) because of their toxicity, corrosivity and bad smell.

Effect of Methanethiol Concentration on Sulfur Production in Biological Desulfurization Systems under Haloalkaline Conditions.

Bioremoval of H2S from gas streams became popular in recent years because of high process efficiency and low operational costs. To expand the scope of these processes to gas streams containing volatile organic sulfur compounds, like thiols, it is necessary to provide new insights into their impact on overall biodesulfurization process. Published data on the effect of thiols on biodesulfurization processes are scarce.

Elemental sulfur and acetate can support life of a novel strictly anaerobic haloarchaeon.

Archaea domain is comprised of many versatile taxa that often colonize extreme habitats. Here, we report the discovery of strictly anaerobic extremely halophilic euryarchaeon, capable of obtaining energy by dissimilatory reduction of elemental sulfur using acetate as the only electron donor and forming sulfide and CO2 as the only products. This type of respiration has never been observed in hypersaline anoxic habitats and is the first example of such metabolic capability in the entire Archaea domain.

2,2,6,6-Tetra-methyl-piperidinium triisopropoxysilanethiol-ate.

The crystal of the title compound, C(9)H(20)N(+)·C(9)H(21)O(3)SSi(-), is built of aggregates, each made up of two 2,2,6,6-tetra-methyl-piperidinium cations and two triisopropoxysilanethiol-ate anions. The aggregates are linked by four N-H⋯S bonds and correspond to an R(2) (4)(8) graph-set motif.