Biofiltration of Air Polluted with Toluene under Steady-State Conditions:  Experimental Observations

Abstract

In this study, we describe the removal of toluene vapors in a pilot scale biofilter. Biofiltration tests have been performed in a column fed upward with contaminated air at ambient conditions. The column was packed with a mixture of conditioned biomass and structuring agent on which a mixed microbial population of four selected strains was immobilized and then formed a biolayer. The biofilter was operated under various inlet-airstream toluene concentrations and flow rates of the contaminated airstream. Based on the present measurements, the biofilter proved effective in removing toluene at rates up to 165 g·h-1·m-3 of packing. The effect of some design and operation parameters (concentration of nutrients solution, presence of xylene, gas flow rate, pressure drop, temperature, etc.) are reported.

Effects of gas flow rate, inlet concentration and temperature on the biofiltration of toluene vapors

“…The components and design factors which must be considered for the correct functioning of a biofiltration system include (Kennes et al, 1996;Ottengraf et al, 1986;Kiared et al, 1997): filling material, microorganisms, moisture content, temperature, pH, pressure drop, flow velocity, residence time of the gaseous phase and nutrients.…”

Effects of nitrogen sources on toluene degradation by Pseudomonas putida BZ918

“…The predicted EC by growing cells was higher than the predicted EC by resting cells. In the previous studies on the toluene degradation in a biofilter, the elimination capacities ranged from 25 o C to 165 g/m 3 ·h [13,15,16]. The EC values for growing cell conditions were in high positions, but those for resting cell conditions were not.…”

Biofiltration: Essentials, Research and Applications

“…One of the significant studies was carried out by Kiared et al [35] for the removal of toluene using biofilters. The study comprised of experiments on lab based biofilters using biomass as a filter media.…”