Hydrogen Sulfide Removal in Anaerobic Chambers
Poster: Device for Hydrogen Sulfide Removal in Anaerobic Chambers
The hydrogen sulfide removal column (HSRC) functions by recirculating the anaerobic chamber atmosphere through layers of defined media at a controlled rate. This facilitates chemical interactions that leave the output free of H2S, based on an H2S-specific sensitive color-change indicator. Various media were examined. Other important considerations were also addressed in the design and application of the HSRC, including temperature, humidity, use in a contained environment, detection of H2S, function in an anaerobic atmosphere, byproducts of reaction with H2S, disposal of spent media, H2S capacity, chamber atmosphere circulation, and overall HSRC flow characteristics to optimize performance. The HSRC was run continuously without any maintenance under constant exposure to H2S for a 6-month period and had remaining capacity based on H2S indicators at the outlet. Inside the chamber, H2S levels reached as high as ~10ppm during growth of C. difficilewithout the HSRC. Within 10 minutes, the HSRC could lower this to a level undetectable with sensitive lead acetate indicators.
Products from Coy: Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Column (HSRC)
Poster: Development and Testing of Device For H2S Removal from Anaerobic Chambers
One challenge encountered when working with organisms in anaerobic chambers is management of hydrogen sulfide. H2S poisons palladium catalysts, damages expensive electronics, and can also lead to sulfuric acid corrosion. Existing H2S management approaches, such as bubbling the atmosphere through a silver sulfate solution, can be inefficient, lack capacity, be difficult to use, and/or lack indication of when H2S removal capacity is reached. Therefore, we developed a convenient hydrogen sulfide removal column (HSRC) that removes H2S by recirculating the chamber atmosphere through removal media at a controlled rate and coupled this column with a simple, sensitive H2S indicator at the column outlet to indicate the column’s effectiveness and H2S binding capacity. We initially deployed the HSRC in a chamber used for cultivating large volumes of Clostridium difficile. We then deployed the HSRC in chambers used for cultivating human fecal microbial communities and developed a version of the column for use in applications such as this were there are significant additional volatile metabolites in addition to H2S.
Products from Coy: Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Column
