#Techtalk: H₂S in VOC Streams: Why One Contaminant Can Ruin the Whole Equation

8.6.2025

Not all VOCs are created equal — and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is the proof.

When this toxic, corrosive, and highly odorous gas shows up in your emission stream, it doesn’t just complicate permitting — it compromises the performance of your abatement system.

At Ship & Shore Environmental, we’ve been engineering advanced clean air solutions for over 25 years. When it comes to mixed-contaminant streams, we don’t guess. We design for exact chemistry — and H₂S requires precision.

The Hidden Risk of H₂S in Your Process

Hydrogen sulfide often sneaks into VOC streams in industries like:

• Petrochemicals & refineries
• Pulp & paper
• Food processing
• Wastewater treatment
• Composite or resin manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical

On its own, H₂S is a problem. But in a mixed VOC stream, it can cause:

• Catalyst deactivation
• Corrosive damage to ducting, media beds, or heat exchangers
• Unexpected byproducts when oxidized at high temperatures
• Damage to RTO ceramic media
• False readings in stack testing due to interference

Why Standard RTOs/DFTOs Aren’t Built for Sulfur

Your regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) may be robust, but H₂S can shorten its lifespan drastically. Without pretreatment or material upgrades, you’re risking:

• Ceramic media fouling
• Acid gas formation
• Hot spots or localized corrosion
• Odor control failure — a major permitting red flag

Proven Solutions: How We Remove or Neutralize H₂S

Request a Process Review

At S&SE, our engineering team evaluates each case based on:

• Inlet concentrations and flow rates
• VOC and H₂S interaction under thermal conditions
• Regulatory thresholds (e.g. BACT, RACT, NESHAP, SCAQMD rules)

Common mitigation strategies include:

Scrubber + RTO Combination
H₂S removed with chemical or biological scrubbing prior to thermal oxidation

Corrosion-Resistant Upgrades
Hastelloy, FRP, or specialty coatings on internal components

Dedicated Sulfur Trap or Catalyst Beds
For continuous H₂S capture, especially in petrochemical streams

Media Selection Adjustments
Sulfur-resistant ceramic or structured media to prolong system life

Results in the Field

Case Study Snapshot:
A composite manufacturer with elevated H₂S and VOCs faced repeated odor complaints and a failing oxidizer. S&SE installed a two-stage system: a chemical scrubber to neutralize H₂S upstream, followed by a 30,000 SCFM RTO.

Result:

• 99%+ VOC and H₂S destruction
• Elimination of odor complaints
• Permit compliance restored

---

The Bottom Line

VOC compliance is just the beginning.
If you’re ignoring H₂S in your emission stream, you’re gambling with system longevity, compliance, and public health. At S&SE, we design abatement systems that account for every molecule — not just the easy ones.

Request a Process Review

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]