Biodegradation of ethanol vapour in a biofilter
TL;DR: Biofiltration is a cost effective air pollution control technology for volatile organic compounds and the response of biofilter to shut down and restart-up operation showed that the biofilm has got a good stability.
Abstract: Biofiltration is a cost effective air pollution control technology for volatile organic compounds. Biofiltration of ethanol vapour from air stream was evaluated in this study. Experimental investigations were conducted on a laboratory scale biofilter, containing mixture of compost and polystyrene inert particles as the filter materials. Mixed consortium of activated sludge was used as a inoculum. The continuous performance of biofilter for ethanol removal was monitored for different concentrations and flow rates. The removal efficiencies decreased at higher concentrations and higher gas flow rates. A maximum elimination capacity of 195 g m−3 h−1 was achieved. The response of biofilter to shut down and restart-up operation showed that the biofilm has got a good stability.
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TL;DR: An overview of the various bioreactors that are used in VOC and odour abatement is provided, along with details on their configuration and design, mechanism of operation, insights into the microbial biodegradation process and future R&D needs in this area.
470 citations
Cites background from "Biodegradation of ethanol vapour in..."
...…(Woertz et al., 2002), vermiculite (Pineda et al., 2000), glass beads (Zilli et al., 2000), polyurethane foam (Moe and Irvine, 2000), polystyrene (Arulneyam and Swaminathan, 2000), lava rock (Chitwood and Devinny, 2001), etc. Ibrahim et al. (2001) prepared a filter bed composed of activated…...
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..., 2000), polyurethane foam (Moe and Irvine, 2000), polystyrene (Arulneyam and Swaminathan, 2000), lava rock (Chitwood and Devinny, 2001), etc....
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TL;DR: A more detailed review of biofiltration is proposed, presenting the most recent and latest developments achieved in the field of bioprocessing.
Abstract: In this paper we present a review of the existing air pollution control technologies (APCT), when used essentially for the elimination of volatile organic compounds (VOC). The biotechnologies referred to, bioscrubbers, biotrickling filters and biofilters, are also described. A more detailed review of biofiltration is proposed, presenting the most recent and latest developments achieved in the field of bioprocessing. In particular, the influence of the filter bed, the polluted air flowrates, the pollutants, the pressure drop, bed moisture content, temperature, nutrients, pH and the microorganisms are reviewed. Models of biofiltration are also presented.
358 citations
Cites background from "Biodegradation of ethanol vapour in..."
..., 2002), polystyrene (Ottengraf, 1986; Arulneyam and Swaminathan, 2000), lava rock (Chitwood and Devinny, 2001), etc....
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...…(Krishnayya et al., 1999; Pineda et al., 2000), ceramic (Cardenas-Gonzalez et al., 1999), glass beads (Zilli et al., 2000), polyurethane foam (Moe and Irvine, 2000; Woertz et al., 2002), polystyrene (Ottengraf, 1986; Arulneyam and Swaminathan, 2000), lava rock (Chitwood and Devinny, 2001), etc....
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TL;DR: In this paper, a compost-based biofilter unit inoculated with a mixed microbial population was examined to treat toluene vapours from a synthetic and real gas stream, and the potential of the biofilter to handle industrial gas mixtures was proved with operation using a real sample from a pharmaceutical industry.
130 citations
TL;DR: Improvement of the biofiltration process commonly used for the removal of odorous compounds has led to a better control of key parameters, enabling the application ofBiofiltration to be extended also to the removalof VOCs.
Abstract: The removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated airstreams has become a major air pollution concern. Improvement of the biofiltration process commonly used for the removal of odorous compounds has led to a better control of key parameters, enabling the application of biofiltration to be extended also to the removal of VOCs. Moreover, biofiltration, which is based on the ability of micro-organisms to degrade a large variety of compounds, proves to be economical and environmentally viable. In a biofilter, the waste gas is forced to rise through a layer of packed porous material. Thus, pollutants contained in the gaseous effluent are oxidised or converted into biomass by the action of microorganisms previously fixed on the packing material. The biofiltration process is then based on two principal phenomena: (1) transfer of contaminants from the air to the water phase or support medium, (2) bioconversion of pollutants to biomass, metabolic end-products, or carbon dioxide and water. The diversity of biofiltration mechanisms and their interaction with the microflora mean that the biofilter is defined as a complex and structured ecosystem. As a result, in addition to operating conditions, research into the microbial ecology of biofilters is required in order better to optimise the management of such biological treatment systems.
96 citations
TL;DR: The most common organic pollutants which may have mass transfer or kinetic limitations in BFs and BTFs are described and some improved bioprocesses to overcome the limitations of mass transfer and kinetic limited organic pollutants are discussed.
76 citations
References
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TL;DR: Biotechniques are efficient and cost effective in treating off-gases with concentrations of biodegradable contaminants up to 1–5 g/m3 and could play a justified and important role in air pollution control in the coming years.
Abstract: This paper gives an overview of present biological techniques for the treatment of off-gases and the techniques that are being developed at the moment. The characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, costs and application area are discussed and compared. Biological off-gas treatment is based on the absorption of volatile contaminants in an aqueous phase or biofilm followed by oxidation by the action of microorganisms. Biofilters, bioscrubbers and biotrickling filters are used for elimination of odour and bioconvertable volatile organic and inorganic compounds and are enjoying increasing popularity. This popularity is a result of the low investment and operational costs involved compared to physico-chemical techniques and the elimination efficiencies that can be obtained. The operational envelop is still extending to higher concentrations and gas flow rates (exceeding 200,000 m3 h−1) and a broader spectrum of degradable compounds. Research and development on the use of membranes and the addition of activated carbon or a second liquid phase to the biological systems may lead to a more efficient elimination of hydrophobic compounds and buffering of fluctuating loads. Shorter adaptation periods can be obtained by inoculation with specialized microorganisms. Improved design and operation are made possible by the growing insights in the kinetics and microbiology and supported by the development of models describing biological off-gas treatment. In conclusion, biotechniques are efficient and cost effective in treating off-gases with concentrations of biodegradable contaminants up to 1–5 g/m3. They could play a justified and important role in air pollution control in the coming years.
278 citations