International Journal of Environmental Science and Development

Abstract—TiO₂-based catalysts are widely used in Claus units in natural gas-processing plants, for the conversion of hydrogen sulfide to elemental sulfur. As a result of the constant reaction cycles the catalyst suffered sulfur deposition on its active sites, resulting in a decrease of its catalytic activity. In this work a biodesulfurization process on a TiO₂ spent catalyst was performed. Physicochemical characterization of the catalyst by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, specific surface area, and elemental analysis was performed. Thiobacillus thiooxidans was the microorganism employed to eliminate the sulfur from the spent catalyst. A sulfur reduction of 60 wt.% was obtained following 30 days of treatment.

Index Terms—Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans, microbial desulfurization, spent catalyst, TiO₂.

Brenda R. Cruz-Ortiz is with the Ceramics Department at Autonomous University of Coahuila, México. Blvd. V. Carranza y José Cárdenas Valdés, C.P. 25280, Saltillo, Coah, México (e-mail: b.cruz@uadec.edu.mx).
Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez and Dora A. Cortés-Hernández are with CINVESTAV-Saltillo. Av. Industria Metalúrgica No. 1062, Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, 25900, México (e-mail: lourdes.diaz@cinvestav.edu.mx, dora.cortes@cinvestav.edu.mx).

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Cite: Brenda R. Cruz-Ortiz, Lourdes Díaz-Jiménez, and Dora A. Cortés-Hernández, "Characterization and Biotechnological Clean-up Process of a TiO₂ Spent Catalyst," International Journal of Environmental Science and Development vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 486-489, 2016.