Research Examines Attenuation of H2S Gas

Research on ways to attenuate hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas that can be created by C&D fines in the landfill environment was the topic of a presentation by Dr. Jenna Jambeck, University of New Hampshire, speaking at the Beneficial Use Summit held recently in San Francisco.

Working in the lab, Jambeck ran 10,000 ppm of hydrogen sulfide through wood ash, soil and weathered cement kiln dust (CKD). In this case, the wood ash attenuated the best, followed by the CKD and soil. In a simulated landfill environment ( 3-foot high column), made with the fines created in New England C&D recycling facilities, she then tested wood ash and soil to see which would work best. Wood ash mixed up to 20 percent and did not help, and actually created more H2S at 5 percent and 10 percent, Jambeck reports.

Mixing the fines with soil seemed to work the best, at both three parts soil to one part fines and two parts to one. Jambeck’s research is ongoing and will not be completed for another year, as she plans to look at attenuation properties of unweathered CKD, coal fly ash and taconite mine tailings.