Application of biological deodorization methods in the aspect of sustainable development

Abstract

The sequence of actions in matters of restricting odour nuisance is topped by preventive actions taken while an investment is planned and exploited. However, if using the best techniques available and abiding by technological regimes is insufficient and emission is still observed, one should make use of the method of deodorization. The choice of the specific suitable method is determined by many factors such as the properties of the gases being cleaned, the concentration of the pollution being emitted and the designed cleaning efficiency. Odour emission management concerning sustainable development should, therefore, comprise the required level of gas cleaning, the economic balance sheet of the investment and the acquired environmental effects. In the instance of biological methods, especially gas biofiltration, the cleaning process is carried out without virtually any side products, which would produce waste. Biofiltration is more and more commonly used in cleaning waste gases, because of both ecological reasons and economical competitivity with other methods. The balance of costs of an investment in biological gas deodorization along with its profits, as well as the ecological benefits coming from the usage of such methods, are presented in this work. The obtained cleaning efficiencies have also been included.

Comparative Evaluation of Selected Biological Methods for the Removal of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Odorous VOCs from Air

“…The following methods are most often applied: thermal oxidation, absorption (in water or with chemical reaction), adsorption, masking and biological techniques. The selection of the most appropriate methods is case-specific and depends on the properties of a gas stream, concentration of pollutants, emission source and the desired level of gas deodorization [1,5,[12][13][14][15].…”

“…In this perspective, a broad set of data or mathematical tools aiding the decision-making may be of importance. In the literature, several papers devoted to comparison of various deodorization methods [12,[49][50][51]] may be found. However, these papers mainly present the experimental results and economic analyses or compares different processes/process conditions, leaving the reader with general ideas about the processes discussed.…”

“…Comparison of the values of empty bed residence time allows for the assessment of the rate of the assessed treatment processes. The criterion related to the costs include investment and operating costs as sub-criteria [12,19,73,74]. These costs are crucial for the process realization, especially when industrial-scale applications are considered.…”

“…The authors of this manuscript have proposed two more criteria related to the deodorization strategy i.e., technical problems arising during the process [1,5,19,20,31] as well as the environmental impact of the technology [12,[73][74][75]. Among the technical aspects and possible technical problems, which are thought to greatly affect the long-term process operation, following sub-criteria have been distinguished: periodic replacement of packing elements, the need for periodic regeneration of the liquid, the complexity of the system, as well as the ease of process control and the ability to adapt the system to changes in the charge of current regulation.…”

“…The amount of waste produced is the smallest in the case of BF (ID = 1). Additionally, further reuse of packing material (for anther purposes e.g., land fertilizers) as well as the replacement of water by secondary water [12] is possible. The least favorable method in terms of generation of waste streams is BS (ID = 0.1), indicating the need of further processing of generated wastewater for the recovery of absorbed compounds as well as down-stream water purification.…”