Heterogeneity of sewage sludge derived materials as a factor governing their performance as adsorbents of acidic gases

Sewage sludge derived materials obtained by carbonization of organic fertilizer Terrene(R) at 800 and 950degreesC were used as adsorbents of hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide from moist air. Since the performance of materials significantly differs depending on carbonization temperature an attempt was made to identify the surface features that govern H2S and SO2 removal. The adsorbents were characterized using sorption of nitrogen, thermal analysis, SEM, and EDX. The results obtained demonstrate that the chemical form of catalytically active metals and their surface dispersion affect the adsorption/oxidation processes.