A common method for removing hydrogen sulfide from water is which?

A common method for removing hydrogen sulfide from water is which?

• A. Aeration
• B. Coagulation
• C. Filtration
• D. Sedimentation

Answer: (A)

Hydrogen sulfide is a dissolved gas that readily escapes into air when water is exposed to it. Aeration physically brings water into contact with air, increasing gas exchange so the H2S strips off and vents to the atmosphere. As air supplies oxygen, some of the hydrogen sulfide is also oxidized to sulfur or sulfates, which helps reduce the rotten-egg odor. Coagulation, filtration, and sedimentation deal with solids and particulate matter, not dissolved gases, so they don’t effectively remove H2S. That makes aeration the most straightforward and common method for removing hydrogen sulfide from water.

Hydrogen sulfide is a dissolved gas that readily escapes into air when water is exposed to it. Aeration physically brings water into contact with air, increasing gas exchange so the H2S strips off and vents to the atmosphere. As air supplies oxygen, some of the hydrogen sulfide is also oxidized to sulfur or sulfates, which helps reduce the rotten-egg odor. Coagulation, filtration, and sedimentation deal with solids and particulate matter, not dissolved gases, so they don’t effectively remove H2S. That makes aeration the most straightforward and common method for removing hydrogen sulfide from water.