IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v209y2025ics1364032124008700.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Biodesulfurization: Effective and sustainable technologies for biogas hydrogen sulfide removal

Author

Listed:
  • Dada, Oluwatunmise Israel
  • Yu, Liang
  • Neibergs, Shannon
  • Chen, Shulin

Abstract

Biogas is a valuable green energy source. Hydrogen sulfide removal is essential for biogas upgrading for high-end applications. This work provides a comprehensive review of biogas biodesulfurization technologies for industrial applications, focusing on aerobic and anoxic biofilters, biotrickling filters, and bioscrubbers. Key topics include removal mechanisms, system design, performance, operating factors, best-fit applications, and design-based cost analysis. Biodesulfurization technologies are highly efficient, achieving up to 99 % removal efficiency at full scale, particularly in bioscrubbers and biotrickling filters due to improved design configurations. Performance is largely affected by operating conditions and the composition, activity, and robustness of sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms. While kinetic models are widely used to study performance, further research is needed to advance the application of computational fluid dynamics for system modeling. Biodesulfurization technologies prove to be environmentally sustainable and may be more economically viable in large-scale, commercial applications. Reducing energy and packing material replacement costs would further improve economic viability. While biodesulfurization technologies are safe, precautions must be taken to avoid explosion risks from methane/oxygen mixtures and hydrogen sulfide gas poisoning. Ultimately, selecting suitable biodesulfurization technology for industrial applications depends on the volume of biogas to be treated, the choice of sulfur microorganisms, system stability, and the intended biogas end-use.

Suggested Citation

  • Dada, Oluwatunmise Israel & Yu, Liang & Neibergs, Shannon & Chen, Shulin, 2025. "Biodesulfurization: Effective and sustainable technologies for biogas hydrogen sulfide removal," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:209:y:2025:i:c:s1364032124008700
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.115144
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032124008700
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2024.115144?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Haosagul, Saowaluck & Prommeenate, Peerada & Hobbs, Glyn & Pisutpaisal, Nipon, 2020. "Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in full-scale biogas cleanup system of ethanol industry," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 965-972.
    2. Haosagul, Saowaluck & Prommeenate, Peerada & Hobbs, Glyn & Pisutpaisal, Nipon, 2020. "Sulfide-oxidizing bacteria community in full-scale bioscrubber treating H2S in biogas from swine anaerobic digester," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 973-980.
    3. Stolecka, Katarzyna & Rusin, Andrzej, 2021. "Potential hazards posed by biogas plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    4. Anders Feilberg & Michael Jørgen Hansen & Dezhao Liu & Tavs Nyord, 2017. "Contribution of livestock H2S to total sulfur emissions in a region with intensive animal production," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, December.
    5. Becker, C.M. & Marder, M. & Junges, E. & Konrad, O., 2022. "Technologies for biogas desulfurization - An overview of recent studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    6. Calbry-Muzyka, Adelaide & Madi, Hossein & Rüsch-Pfund, Florian & Gandiglio, Marta & Biollaz, Serge, 2022. "Biogas composition from agricultural sources and organic fraction of municipal solid waste," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1000-1007.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Becker, C.M. & Marder, M. & Junges, E. & Konrad, O., 2022. "Technologies for biogas desulfurization - An overview of recent studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    2. Tavera-Ruiz, C. & Martí-Herrero, J. & Mendieta, O. & Jaimes-Estévez, J. & Gauthier-Maradei, P. & Azimov, U. & Escalante, H. & Castro, L., 2023. "Current understanding and perspectives on anaerobic digestion in developing countries: Colombia case study," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    3. Enokida, Cristina Harumi & Tapparo, Deisi Cristina & Antes, Fabiane Goldschmidt & Radis Steinmetz, Ricardo Luis & Magrini, Flaviane Eva & Sophiatti, Igor Vinicius Machado & Paesi, Suelen & Kunz, Airto, 2025. "Anaerobic codigestion of livestock manure and agro-industrial waste in a CSTR reactor: Operational aspects, digestate characteristics, and microbial community dynamics," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    4. Adam Masłoń & Joanna Czarnota & Paulina Szczyrba & Aleksandra Szaja & Joanna Szulżyk-Cieplak & Grzegorz Łagód, 2024. "Assessment of Energy Self-Sufficiency of Wastewater Treatment Plants—A Case Study from Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-19, March.
    5. Efstathios Papachristopoulos & Evangelos Tsiaras & Vagelis G. Papadakis & Frank A. Coutelieris, 2023. "Design of a Biogas Power Plant That Uses Olive Tree Pruning and Olive Kernels in Achaia, Western Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Yongping Li & Jiaoning Zhu & Yun Tang & Xiangyuan Shi & Sumera Anwar & Juanling Wang & Li Gao & Jingxuan Zhang, 2023. "Impact of Varying Mass Concentrations of Ammonia Nitrogen on Biogas Production and System Stability of Anaerobic Fermentation," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-14, August.
    7. Gandiglio, Marta, 2022. "Design and operation of an industrial size adsorption-based cleaning system for biogas use in fuel cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    8. Chaves, Gustavo T. & Teles, Felipe & Balbo, Antonio R. & dos Reis, Célia A. & Florentino, Helenice de Oliveira, 2024. "Mathematical modelling of biodigestion in an Indian biodigester and its stability analysis via Lyapunov technique," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    9. Ma, Chun & Yu, Hangyu & Monticone, Gianluca & Ma, Shuai & Van herle, Jan & Wang, Ligang, 2024. "Techno-economic evaluation of biogas-fed SOFC systems with novel biogas purification and carbon capture technologies," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    10. Wu, Di & Li, Lei & Peng, Yun & Yang, Pingjin & Peng, Xuya & Sun, Yongming & Wang, Xiaoming, 2021. "State indicators of anaerobic digestion: A critical review on process monitoring and diagnosis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    11. Orlando Corigliano & Marco Iannuzzi & Crescenzo Pellegrino & Francesco D’Amico & Leonardo Pagnotta & Petronilla Fragiacomo, 2023. "Enhancing Energy Processes and Facilities Redesign in an Anaerobic Digestion Plant for Biomethane Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-29, August.
    12. Vannucci, Julián A. & Gatti, Martín N. & Cardaci, Nicolas & Nichio, Nora N., 2022. "Economic feasibility of a solketal production process from glycerol at small industrial scale," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 540-547.
    13. Sławomir Łazarski & Andrzej Butarewicz & Marcin Cichosz & Urszula Kiełkowska, 2023. "Study on the Effect of Dedicated Microelement Mixture (DMM) on the Kick-Off Phase of the Digester and Stabilization of the Methane Fermentation Process," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-21, April.
    14. Kirtania, Bidesh & Shilapuram, Vidyasagar, 2023. "Performance evaluation of a flexible CO2-ORC and sorbent regeneration integrated novel dry gasification oxy-combustion power cycle for in-situ sulphur capture, CO2 capture and power generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 282(C).
    15. Marcin Zieliński & Joanna Kazimierowicz & Marcin Dębowski, 2022. "Advantages and Limitations of Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment—Technological Basics, Development Directions, and Technological Innovations," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-39, December.
    16. Marco Cavana & Pierluigi Leone, 2022. "Smart Gas Network with Linepack Managing to Increase Biomethane Injection at the Distribution Level," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-21, November.
    17. Qing Wu & Jieqiong Liu & Qiannan Li & Wenjun Mo & Ruihan Wan & Sen Peng, 2022. "Effect of Electrode Distances on Remediation of Eutrophic Water and Sediment by Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell Coupled Floating Beds," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-16, August.
    18. Faisal A. Osra & Moussa Sobh Elbisy & Hasan Abdullah Mosaıbah & Khalid Osra & Mirac Nur Ciner & H. Kurtulus Ozcan, 2024. "Environmental Impact Assessment of a Dumping Site: A Case Study of Kakia Dumping Site," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-21, May.
    19. Mulu, Elshaday & M'Arimi, Milton M. & Ramkat, Rose C., 2021. "A review of recent developments in application of low cost natural materials in purification and upgrade of biogas," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    20. Robert Czubaszek & Agnieszka Wysocka-Czubaszek & Piotr Banaszuk, 2022. "Importance of Feedstock in a Small-Scale Agricultural Biogas Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-19, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:209:y:2025:i:c:s1364032124008700. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.