An Innovative Method for Oxidizing Hydrogen Sulfide using Hydroxyl Radicals

A novel method for treating odors in pump stations, wet wells, and other enclosed spaces has been available since 2000. The technology uses an air, water, and ozone mixture to create a fine particle mist that increases the surface area and probability that an odorous compound reacts with the oxidants. With over 225 installations across the United States, the technology needs to be studied in greater detail to verify the claim that it can effectively oxidize hydrogen sulfide thereby removing odors around the treated area. An additional claim was made that the mixture of ozone and nano-sized water particle was used to produce hydroxyl radicals in quantities that can effectively oxidize hydrogen sulfide, mercaptans, and other odorous compounds. At the sites where the technology is being used, effectiveness is primarily measured by the no-odor standard using the nose. The difficulty is that the removal efficiency cannot be measured directly in the treatment area since it is being used as the reactor while most other odor control technologies draw the odorous air away from the wastewater process and treat it in a separate reactor.This study quantified hydroxyl radical generation using an indirect method. This method consisted of the reaction between benzene and hydroxyl radicals to form phenol as the product. The study also investigated the optimum ratio of ozone to hydrogen sulfide per given area, followed by the verification of the resulting products.