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Abstract

A biological conversion process is provided for degradation of sulfur-containing pollutants such as H.sub.2 S, CS.sub.2, COS, and also organic surfur compounds such as thio-alcohols, thio-ethers, and thiophenes in waste gas. A packed reactor is provided which has packing material covered with immobilized microorganisms of the family of Thiobacillaceae and which are continuously kept moist, so that metabolic products of the microorganisms are dissolved in the moisture and discharged continuously. A continuous concentration gradient for sulfate ions thereby results in the reactor or in the region of the microorganisms, these sulfate ions being neutralized in a second reactor by supplying lye (soda or potash lye) forming readily-soluble salts. These readily-soluble salts are transformed in a third reactor by addition of milk of lime into crystals (gypsum crystals) which are poorly-soluble in water and with formation of lye for the second reactor capable of being recirculated so that loss of chemicals (lye) is principally minimized. The poorly-soluble crystals from the third reactor can be discarded or utilized. The low sulfate supernatant is then conveyed to the main canal, through a biological clarification plant.

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First Claim