Treatment of VOCs in biofilters inoculated with fungi and microbial consortium

Abstract

An experimental study on the removal of xylene vapours from an air stream was conducted on three identical upflow laboratory-scale wood-chips-based bed biofilters. Three different inoculums were used: fungi (Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Cladosporium sphaerospermum), a bacterial consortium (EVB110), and a mixed culture of fungi and EVB 110. The empty bed gas residence time was 59 s, and various inlet concentrations of the contaminant were tested. The results obtained revealed a strong correlation between the average temperature of the biofilter and the intensity of the microbial activity in the filter bed. In addition, the mass of carbon dioxide produced per mass of xylene removed was equal to 3.03, indicating elimination of the pollutant by aerobic biodegradation. The removal rates of xylene in both fungal and bacterial systems were similar up to an inlet load of 100 g m(-3) h(-1). However, a better performance was achieved in the fungal system at higher inlet loads of the pollutant. The maximum elimination capacity achieved in the fungal and bacterial systems was 77 and 58 g m(-3) h(-1), respectively; and an early set-off of the inhibition effects was observed in the latter. The bioreactor inoculated with the mixed culture was the least effective, with a maximum elimination capacity of only 38 g m(-3) h(-1). Problems with microbial population survival and competition among different types of microorganisms could be responsible of this lower performance. The fungal system was also tested for the removal of toluene vapour and achieved a maximum elimination capacity of 110 g m(-3) h(-1).

Evaluating the impact of water supply strategies on p-xylene biodegradation performance in an organic media-based biofilter

“…The temperatures in the middle module increased up to 4 • C by days 13 and 14 after irrigation, while the temperature in the lower zone gradually increased from the first day and obviously decreased with the next irrigation. This close correlation between biofilter's performance and temperature was also observed by Jorio et al [29]. In accordance with this study, Son et al [30] showed that the ethylbenzene was not equally degraded over the depth of a biofilter packed with composting material after water irrigation.…”

Effect of a Non‐Ionic Surfactant on Xylene Removal in a Scoria‐Compost‐Based Biofilter

“…. As previously described in the literature, two distinct regimes can be interpreted from this figure, i.e ., the diffusion limitation regime (DLR) and the reaction limitation regime (RLR) . In DLR, the diffusion of gaseous species through the biofilm is the rate controlling step in the biodegradation of VOCs.…”

An Investigation on the Efficiency of Air Purification Using a Biofilter with Activated Bed of Different Origin

“…Following the experience of earlier investigations carried out by other authors the present experimental studies lasted 1 year (Choi and Oh, 2002;Dorado et al, 2010;Gracy et al, 2006;Jorio et al, 2009;Trusek-Holownia et al, 2012;Vaiškūnaitė et al, 2005Vaiškūnaitė et al, , 2008Vaiškūnaitė et al, , 2011.…”