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Hydrogen Sulfide

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This is the organizing page for research related to hydrogen sulfide in Public Lab.

What is hydrogen sulfide, what are its effects, and where is it found?

Hydrogen sulfide, with the chemical formula H2S, is a flammable gas that has a pungent odor at low concentrations and is odorless at higher concentrations. It can be a respiratory irritant and a neurotoxin. For more information about hydrogen sulfide health effects, please see: https://publiclab.org/wiki/hydrogen-sulfide-effects.

Hydrogen sulfide is naturally formed in low-oxygen conditions with sulfate present, such as in organic-rich sediments and thus in petrochemical source rocks. Upon exposure to oxygen, hydrogen sulfide readily oxidizes to sulfur dioxide or sulfate, and generally reacts within hours to days. For information about hydrogen sulfide sources and spatial and temporal variation, please see: https://publiclab.org/wiki/hydrogen-sulfide-environment

How are hydrogen sulfide emissions and exposures regulated?

In the United States, hydrogen sulfide emissions are only federally regulated to the extent that they contribute to sulfur dioxide formation, and thus acid rain. These emissions are regulated through the Prevention of Significant Deterioration of major stationary sources review and permitting. Exposure to hydrogen sulfide is mostly regulated in terms of occupational exposure, with very few states regulating ambient exposure to this toxin. For detailed information of environmental and occupational hydrogen sulfide regulations, please see: https://publiclab.org/wiki/hydrogen-sulfide-regulations

How can hydrogen sulfide be measured?

While there is no federal regulatory method for hydrogen sulfide in the US, labs, agencies, and oilfield workers often measure hydrogen sulfide gas through these means, whose cost and sensitivity vary pretty widely:

  • badges or glass tubes that change color
  • continuously sampling electronic sensors, some worn by oilfield workers
  • air grab sampling, as by the Bucket Brigades, tested with gas chromatography

We're compiling information about the pros, cons, prices, and sensitivity/limitations about these techniques. See the Questions section below to help build out this list. (we'll link in a question here once it's been posted: "What are different commercially available hydrogen sulfide detection methods?")

For more information about different measurement methods, see: Hydrogen Sulfide Detection

Do-It-Yourself approaches to detection

There are three prototype, low-cost hydrogen sulfide detection methods currently being explored by Public Lab community members. These include:

Help out! Please help link the above bullet points to corresponding pages across this site.


Questions

We can't make progress on these techniques and resources without addressing our unknowns. Please ask questions to help shape the direction of our work!

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
What are health and environmental concerns for sewage smell in a home? @stevie over 2 years ago 3
Is there more information on the "Corrosion Coupon" hydrogen sulfide test kit? @warren about 6 years ago 0
What lab tests are available for hydrogen sulfide, and how much do they cost? @warren about 6 years ago 4
What are different commercially available hydrogen sulfide detection methods? @warren over 6 years ago 3
Does your state have air quality standards for hydrogen sulfide? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 0
Are there occupational exposure rules limiting exposure to hydrogen sulfide? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 1
Are there air quality standards for hydrogen sulfide? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 1
How to select a site for hydrogen sulfide testing? @warren over 6 years ago 3
How can we safely try out and evaluate a hydrogen sulfide test? @warren over 6 years ago 4
What's the best setup for a copper rod or copper plate test for DIY hydrogen sulfide detection? @warren over 6 years ago 6
Can we determine hydrogen sulfide concentration, or a threshold presence/absence using the copper pipe method? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 0
What is the hydrogen sulfide concentration range that can be monitored using a copper tarnish method? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 1
Effective low-cost water filters to remove hydrogen sulfide? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 2
What methods are available for doing air grab samples for hydrogen sulfide? @stevie over 6 years ago 2
What are the relative rates of hydrogen sulfide oxidation in ambient air? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 1


Related pages

See other related wiki pages here

Recent updates

Title Author Updated Likes Comments
What are health and environmental concerns for sewage smell in a home? @stevie over 2 years ago 3
[Talk Recording] Mobilizing People to Act on Air Pollution with the Bucket Air Monitor - a Community Science Tool @amocorro almost 3 years ago 1
Response to Alternative Copper Sheet Preparation Method on Public Lab @ErikHanley11 almost 6 years ago 0
Qualitative Time Lapse of Copper Corrosion @ErikHanley11 almost 6 years ago 4
Two Rounds of Copper Rod Test Making @ErikHanley11 almost 6 years ago 3
Copper Strip Test Preparation Using Solvents @ErikHanley11 almost 6 years ago 1
Copper Rod to Copper Sheet Discussion @ErikHanley11 almost 6 years ago 0
Can Bio-char products absorb CAFO gases like Hydrogen Sulfide or Ammonia? @zengirl2 about 6 years ago 3
Is there more information on the "Corrosion Coupon" hydrogen sulfide test kit? @warren about 6 years ago 0
What lab tests are available for hydrogen sulfide, and how much do they cost? @warren about 6 years ago 4
How to Help Citizens Affected by Factory Farming? #waterquality #airquality #CAFO #factoryfarms @zengirl2 over 6 years ago 0
What are some options for copper materials to make a copper plate test kit? @warren over 6 years ago 3
Help collect environmental sensors + probes on a shared list @warren over 6 years ago 0
What are different commercially available hydrogen sulfide detection methods? @warren over 6 years ago 3
Can you use rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover for prepping copper for Hydrogen Sulfide test? @zengirl2 over 6 years ago 16
How to select a site for hydrogen sulfide testing? @warren over 6 years ago 3
How can we safely try out and evaluate a hydrogen sulfide test? @warren over 6 years ago 4
Training in odor identification? @sara over 6 years ago 1
What's the best setup for a copper rod or copper plate test for DIY hydrogen sulfide detection? @warren over 6 years ago 6
Can copper sulfide and copper oxide products be precisely visually identified? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 5
How quickly do copper sulfide and copper oxide form under different environmental conditions? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 0
What is the hydrogen sulfide concentration range that can be monitored using a copper tarnish method? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 1
Copper Sheet Hydrogen Sulfide Detection Activity @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 14
Effective low-cost water filters to remove hydrogen sulfide? @gretchengehrke over 6 years ago 2


Activities

These activities are to guide you to test out hydrogen sulfide detection methods or use these tools in the field:


Activities should include a materials list, costs and a step-by-step guide to construction with photos. Learn what makes a good activity here.


Where can I find more information?

Two particularly good resources are listed below. Other hydrogen sulfide wiki pages (mentioned above) include additional relevant resources.

  1. Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. 2016. Hydrogen Sulfide Fact Sheet. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ToxProfiles/tp114-c1-b.pdf.

  2. National Research Council. 2010. Acute Exposure Guidelines. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-11/documents/hydrogen_sulfide_final_volume9_2010.pdf.