Measures to ensure H2S exposure limits for municipal and industrial waste water – Case studies and literature review

Bad odors are both unpleasant and can be a danger to health. H2S especially creates hazards for humans at all concentration levels for short and long term exposure. There are legal guidelines with regard to exposition limits for working environments as well as for public areas. However the definitions of the parameters, proper methods of measurement and limiting values remain a challenge. This paper gives an general view of the legal aspects and health effects due to long term H2S exposition. Best practice measures against emissions and case studies based on municipal and industrial applications are presented. Taking into account today’s technical options to prevent exposure, the limits for the working places in the waste water industry could be lowered. From an economical point of view it is beneficial to have a comprehensive view on workplace security, corrosion control and emission protection.