Sulphide Production and Management in Municipal Stormwater Retention Ponds

• Author / Creator

  Ku, Jeffrey

• Municipal stormwater retention ponds are a means of managing stormwater in urban settings. Due to the temporal and spatial variations involved with stormwater, numerous contaminants find their way in stormwater retention pond, creating various problems to mitigate against. The City of Edmonton owns a stormwater pond that has historically produced higher levels of hydrogen sulphide. A field study was completed in the City of Edmonton, comparing two stormwater retention ponds in terms of water quality and sediment microbial communities to understand differences in biological degradation that would encourage sulphate reduction, believed to stimulate the production of hydrogen sulphide. The field study comparison was followed by laboratory studies focused on means of suppressing sulphide production. Nitrate amendments were effective in suppressing sulphate reduction; however the addition of a carbon source stimulated greater sulphide production. Extracts from Serrano peppers were also tested as a biocide and inhibitor for sulphate reducing bacteria.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Stormwater
  • Nitrate inhibition
  • Sulphate reduction
  • Sulphate reducing bacteria
  • Sulphide

• Graduation date

  Spring 2014

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3P952

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.