Sorption of Tertiary Butyl Mercaptan to Indoor Materials in Contact with Air or Water
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 134, Issue 3
Abstract
This study reports sorption of the malodorant 2-methyl-2-propanethiol, commonly known as tertiary butyl mercaptan (TBM), to selected indoor materials. The phase distribution of TBM in gas-solid and aqueous-solid systems was evaluated using batch reactors. Sorbents used in the study included two carpets, two wallpapers, a soil, and granular activated carbon (GAC). Sorption was studied for gaseous and aqueous TBM concentrations spanning three orders of magnitude and contact times ranging from 1 to 28 days. The phase distribution data were plotted and fitted using linear and Freundlich relationships. Results indicated that all solids sorbed environmentally significant quantities of TBM, with the likelihood of producing concentrations above the odor threshold during subsequent remediation using mechanical ventilation. TBM retention by sorbents was greater from air than from water. The malodorant partitioned readily into wallpapers and slowly into the carpet materials. Sorption was nonlinear in the case of GAC and the nonlinearity appeared to increase with sorption contact time. GAC sorbed TBM strongly from both air and water.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported in part by the Department of the Navy, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Laboratory. The content of this paper does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the government, and no official endorsement should be inferred. Surface area analysis was performed in the laboratory of Keith Hohn in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Kansas State University.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 134 • Issue 3 • March 2008
Pages: 161 - 168
Copyright
© 2008 ASCE.
History
Received: Jan 26, 2006
Accepted: Sep 18, 2007
Published online: Mar 1, 2008
Published in print: Mar 2008
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