Monitoring key organic indoor pollutants and their elimination in a biotrickling biofilter

Abstract

A biotrickling filter was evaluated to treat the air of the interior of a bioprocess research laboratory. Initially, various solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers were used to identify and quantify the volatile organic pollutants and hexane, methyl isobutyl ketone, benzene, toluene, and xylene were further selected as indicators due to their prevalence and relative abundance. The system treated organic loading rates between 0.16 mg m h and close to 30 mg m h achieving removal efficiencies (RE) over 85% during 136 operational days. Respirometry experiments demonstrated that moderate acidification (below 5.0), due to microbial activity, adversely affected biofilter performance and consequently pH control was necessary to maintain performance.

Advanced Treatment of Urban Sewage Sludge by Upflow Aerated Biological Filter

“…Its characteristic is that there is no phase change in the process of mechanical screening, and the driving force can be obtained under a certain pressure, and a higher removal effect can be obtained. With the development of membrane treatment technology, the commonly used methods are microfiltration, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration and nanofiltration [8][9].…”

Prospective application of melanized fungi for the biofiltration of indoor air in closed bioregenerative systems

“…Using specialized slow-growing fungi such as Cladophialophora psammophila and Neohortaea acidophila, rather than the generalist and faster-growing Cladosporium cladosporioides, might therefore be an advantage (Table 4). The mass-transfer of hydrophobic contaminants from air to the liquid/biofilm phase can also limit the biofiltration process, particularly in the treatment of indoor air [32]. The air/water partition coefficient (Henry's Law constant; KAW) has been proposed as an indicator for the VOCs susceptibility of being removed by biological systems, so that the biofiltration treatability limit would be for VOCs with a KAW < 10 [33].…”

Recent Applications and Newly Developed Strategies of Solid-Phase Microextraction in Contaminant Analysis: Through the Environment to Humans

“…The areas in which the research has mainly been addressed during the last five years have regarded the use of commercially available coatings, as well as the development of new coatings and their application. Many studies have been conducted in indoor environments in order Separations 2019, 6, 54 3 of 44 to monitor exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) that are released into the air by many activities [1][2][3], but also by used furnishing [4,5]. Commercially available (divinylbenzene/carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane) DVB/CAR/PDMS fiber has been successfully employed in a method for the simultaneous analysis of trihalomethanes (THMs) such as trichloromethane, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and tribromomethane, in ambient air [1].…”

“…This method was validated for swimming pool air, bearing improvements over previous methods such as a decrease in instrumental runtime, minimization of sample contamination, and elimination of the need for harsh chemicals. Similarly, other commercially available SPME fibers, such as a carboxen/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS) and polydimethylsiloxane-divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB) fiber, were used in the investigation of some VOCs present in a laboratory environment [2] and in the implementation of a method for the analysis of trace carbonyls based on on-fiber derivatization with (pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBHA) and gas chromatographic (GC) analysis, which was then applied to the monitoring in dated office rooms [5]. As regards the application in an outdoor environment, among the most interesting applications there is the use of the SPME fibers in the arrow version ( Figure 2).…”