| CPC C02F 1/20 (2013.01) [B01D 19/0005 (2013.01); B01D 19/0063 (2013.01); B01D 19/0068 (2013.01); B01D 19/0073 (2013.01); B03C 5/02 (2013.01); C02F 1/58 (2013.01); C10G 21/16 (2013.01); C10G 21/30 (2013.01); C10G 31/08 (2013.01); C02F 1/66 (2013.01); C02F 2101/101 (2013.01); C02F 2101/325 (2013.01); C02F 2209/005 (2013.01); C02F 2209/265 (2013.01); C02F 2303/02 (2013.01); C10G 2300/207 (2013.01); C10G 2300/4068 (2013.01)] | 9 Claims |

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1. A method for removing hydrogen sulfide from sour water, comprising:
a) treating a first H.sub.2S water to remove a portion of hydrogen sulfide contained therein by bubbling air up through the first H.sub.2S water, thereby generating an amount of a second H.sub.2S water having less hydrogen sulfide than the first H.sub.2S water;
b) collecting the air after it has bubbled through the first H.sub.2S water, the collected air comprising hydrogen sulfide;
c) mixing the collected air with a stream of air to form an air mixture that contains a lower concentration of hydrogen sulfide than the collected air; and
d) combining the second H.sub.2S water with the first H.sub.2S water,
e) maintaining the pH of at least one of the first H.sub.2S water and the second H.sub.2S water at no more than about 7.0, and
f) venting the air mixture to the environment;
wherein steps a) through d) are repeated until an amount of hydrogen sulfide in the first H.sub.2S water is below a predetermined amount and measuring an amount of hydrogen sulfide in the collected air, and wherein hydrogen sulfide is removed from the sour water without the use of catalyst chemicals or scavenger chemicals, wherein the method is carried out under atmospheric pressure, and wherein a temperature of the sour water is above 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
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