Aid/Advice on Hydrogen Sulfide research and development in Providence area?

[sara wylie]

Hi all,

We are about to start up lab based refinement of the Hydrogen Sulfide testing kit in Providence, I'm wondering if anyone on the list is interested in getting involved? For more about the project see http://publiclaboratory.org/tool/hydrogen-sulfide-sensing

It would be a great project for anyone with experience in photography, with lab skills, and/or an interest in oil and gas issues.

Email me if you're interested in getting involved!

Sara

[Jeffrey Warren]

I was wondering where I might find H2S contamination near my home. Is this typically only an issue near natural gas extraction sites?

jeff

[dick.s...@comcast.net]

Actually, since sulfur is contained in some amino acids and other biological compounds, H2S is a natural component of any gas generated in anaerobic decomposition of organic material. Natural gas is a good example, but H2S is also a component of of landfill gas, anaerobic digestor gas (e.g., manure or sewage sludge gas), etc. All of these gases need to be treated before being burned to produce heat or electricity.

Dick Sprague

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From: "Jeffrey Warren" <je...@publiclaboratory.org>
To: publicla...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2012 1:35:55 PM
Subject: Re: Aid/Advice on Hydrogen Sulfide research and development in Providence area?

[Jeffrey Warren]

so for example on this map by Basurama and some students from the Harvard GSD, they might be able to test grab samples near some of the gas release tubes coming out of the landfill?

http://archive.publiclaboratory.org/leaflet/?tms=http://mapknitter.org/tms/saugus-incinerator-landfill/&lat=42.438&lon=-70.985&zoom=16

[dick.s...@comcast.net]

Landfill gas is typically 45 to 60 percent methane, 40 to 55 percent carbon dioxide, with traces of other gases. Carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide are usually present in detectable concentrations. The variation in methane and carbon dioxide is primarily a function of the quantity of air leaking into the landfill; an enclosed reactor (e.g., a sewage sludge or manure anaerobic digestor tank) is less variable, with slightly more methane than carbon dioxide in the digestor gas. Air leaking in increases the percentage of carbon dioxide in the produced gas.

I don't know the details of this landfill; for example, I don't know if it has a landfill gas collection system (gas diverted to a central landfill gas flare), or individual gas wells that vent directly to the atmosphere (usually though wind turbines). If it is flared at a central location, the flare should be destroying/oxidizing 99 percent or more of the methane, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. Carbon monoxide is already oxidized, and it is the end product of combustion of methane and carbon monoxide. The hydrogen sulfide would be oxidized to sulfur oxides, which become acidic compounds when mixed with water.

If the landfill gas is discharged directly into the atmosphere, the students should be able to detect methane, carbon monoxide (if present) and hydrogen sulfide at the well vents.

I also don't know the size of the landfill: a landfill gas collection and destruction system is only required (by US EPA and most states) if the landfill exceeds the tonnage required to emit more than 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (methane, for example, is 24 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide). This is according to a September 2009 Final Rule issued by EPA under greenhouse gas emission controls.

Dick

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From: "Jeffrey Warren" <je...@publiclaboratory.org>
To: publicla...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Monday, February 27, 2012 2:17:34 PM