Hydrogen Sulfide Adsorption and Removal Technologies
Summary
Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a toxic and corrosive gas commonly found in natural and industrial gas streams. Its removal is critical for environmental protection, pipeline integrity and human health. Adsorption technologies dominate current abatement strategies, employing materials such as activated carbons, metal oxides, zeolites and engineered carbons. Removal mechanisms include physisorption, chemisorption and catalytic conversion, often coupled with hydrolysis or oxidation to transform H₂S into elemental sulfur or benign by-products. Recent efforts focus on low-cost sorbents derived from biomass, nanostructured composites and regenerable metal-based adsorbents, aiming to enhance capacity, selectivity and cycle life. Breakthrough performance, regeneration efficiency and scalability underpin the practical deployment of these technologies across biogas upgrading, refinery gas purification and syngas desulfurisation.
Research from Nature Portfolio
Recent studies have elucidated the catalytic hydrolysis of carbonyl sulfide and carbon disulfide on iron oxide clusters, shedding light on competitive adsorption and reaction pathways that influence H₂S formation during hydrolysis processes. Theoretical and experimental analyses demonstrate that water, CS₂ and COS compete for active sites, affecting energy barriers and reaction kinetics. Insights into bond-cleavage sequences and the role of surface H₂S reveal strategies to tailor iron oxide structures for improved desulfurisation performance.
Hydrogen Sulfide Adsorption and Removal Technologies publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in hydrogen sulfide adsorption and removal technologies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Physisorption: Reversible adsorption through weak van der Waals forces without chemical bond formation.
Chemisorption: Adsorption involving the formation of chemical bonds between adsorbate and adsorbent surfaces.
Breakthrough curve: Profile of outlet concentration versus time indicating the saturation point of an adsorption bed.
Gas hourly space velocity (GHSV): Volumetric flow rate of gas per unit volume of adsorbent per hour, reflecting contact time.
Biochar/Hydrochar: Carbonaceous materials produced by pyrolysis (biochar) or hydrothermal carbonisation (hydrochar) of biomass.
References
- Catalytic hydrolysis of carbonyl sulphide and carbon disulphide over Fe2O3 cluster: Competitive adsorption and reaction mechanism. Scientific Reports (2017).
- A critical review of biochar versus hydrochar and their application for H2S removal from biogas. Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology (2024).
- Removal of Hydrogen Sulfide From Various Industrial Gases: A Review of The Most Promising Adsorbing Materials. Catalysts (2020).
- Desulfurization of Biomass Syngas Using ZnO-Based Adsorbents: Long-Term Hydrogen Sulfide Breakthrough Experiments. Energy & Fuels (2020).
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