摘要 |
Stack gases from fossil fuel burning operations before being released to the atmosphere are passed through a scrubber, wherein sulfur dioxide is removed from the gases by scrubbing with metallic carbonates. The metallic carbonates react with the sulfur dioxide to form a liquid effluent comprising metallic sulfates. The effluent is placed in a basin and inoculated with a microorganism which reduces sulfate ions to hydrogen sulfide, preferably bacteria from the genus Desulfovibrio, thereby also regenerating metallic carbonates. The effluent is contemporaneously or serially inoculated with saline compatible bacteria from the genus Beggiatoa whereby the hydrogen sulfide is oxidized to form sulfur. After treatment by the bacteria, the effluent is recycled to the scrubber for use therein and the sulfur is recovered.
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