ABSTRACT
In order to prove that hot air-dried crushed oyster shells (HACOS) are effective in reducing hydrogen sulfide in muddy tidal flat sediments and increasing the biomass, field experiments were carried out. The concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the interstitial water, which was 16 mg SL(-1) before the application of HACOS, decreased sharply and maintained almost zero in the experimental sites (HACOS application sites) for one year, whereas it was remained at ca. 5 mg SL(-1) in the control sites. The number of macrobenthos individuals increased to 2-4.5 times higher than that in the control site. Using a simple numerical model, the effective periods for suppression of hydrogen sulfide were estimated to be 3.2-7.6 and 6.4-15.2 years for the experimental sites with 4 and 8 tons per 10 × 10 × 0.2m area, respectively. From these results, it is concluded that HACOS is an effective material to remediate muddy tidal flats.
Subject(s)
Animal Shells/chemistry , Calcium Carbonate/chemistry , Environmental Restoration and Remediation/methods , Geologic Sediments/chemistry , Hydrogen Sulfide/chemistry , Soil Pollutants/chemistry , Animals , Ecosystem , Environmental Monitoring , Hydrogen Sulfide/analysis , Ostreidae , Soil Pollutants/analysisABSTRACT
Hydrogen sulfide is highly toxic to benthic organisms and may cause blue tide with depletion of dissolved oxygen in water column due to its oxidation. The purpose of this study is to reveal the combined adsorption and oxidation mechanisms of hydrogen sulfide on granulated coal ash that is a byproduct from coal electric power stations to apply the material as an adsorbent for hydrogen sulfide in natural fields. Sulfur species were identified in both liquid and solid phases to discuss removal mechanisms of the hydrogen sulfide with the granulated coal ash. Batch experiments revealed that hydrogen sulfide decreased significantly by addition of the granulated coal ash and simultaneously the sulfate ion concentration increased. X-ray absorption fine structure analyses showed hydrogen sulfide was adsorbed onto the granulated coal ash and successively oxidized by manganese oxide (III) contained in the material. The oxidation reaction of hydrogen sulfide was coupling with reduction of manganese oxide. On the other hand, iron containing in the granulated coal ash was not involved in hydrogen sulfide oxidation, because the major species of iron in the granulated coal ash was ferrous iron that is not easily reduced by hydrogen sulfide.
