Evaluating hydrogen sulfide removal from municipal landfill leachate using a venturi stripping system

This study evaluates a venturi-based hydrogen sulfide stripping system (HSSS) for landfill leachate pretreatment through field testing, SUMO modeling, and cost analysis. Over 18 months of operation, the system achieved an average sulfide removal of ∼ 60.1 %, reaching up to 79 % under favorable conditions. Operation also raised leachate pH due to CO₂ stripping, altering sulfide speciation and underscoring the importance of efficient single-stage treatment. Statistical analysis identified strong positive correlation between influent sulfide and removal efficiency, negative correlations with sulfate and temperature, and rainfall-driven increases in BOD. The SUMO model significantly underestimated sulfide removal, while capturing the pH and alkalinity trends reasonably well, reflecting the complexity of leachate chemistry. Economically, the HSSS required only ∼$10,000 CAD in capital costs and minimal operational costs (<$200 CAD) annually to operate (∼$1.31 CAD / 1,000 m³), making it a highly cost-effective alternative to conventional abatement methods.