Experiments and three phase modelling of a biofilter for the removal of toluene and trichloroethylene

Das, C.R.; Chowdhury, Ranjana; Bhattacharya, Pinaki

doi:10.1007/s00449-010-0487-6

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…They also considered the complexity of microbial association biofilms in which primary and secondary catabolisms, predation, cryptic growth and endogenous respiration are all operative. Although, as reviewed by Yang et al, models for biofiltration ,− and the component pore networks have been developed, their efficacies in bioreactor design and operation have still to be realized fully. It is clear, however, that both uneven biomass distribution and accumulation can result in suboptimal biofiltration through clogging , (possibly necessitating removal by physical and chemical interventions), pressure drop and gas channelling .…”

Section: Process Optimizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Waste Gas Biofiltration: Advances and Limitations of Current Approaches in Microbiology

Ralebitso-Senior

Senior

Felice

et al. 2012

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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As confidence in gas biofiltration efficacy grows, ever more complex malodorant and toxic molecules are ameliorated. In parallel, for many countries, emission control legislation becomes increasingly stringent to accommodate both public health and climate change imperatives. Effective gas biofiltration in biofilters and biotrickling filters depends on three key bioreactor variables: the support medium; gas molecule solubilization; and the catabolic population. Organic and inorganic support media, singly or in combination, have been employed and their key criteria are considered by critical appraisal of one, char. Catabolic species have included fungal and bacterial monocultures and, to a lesser extent, microbial communities. In the absence of organic support medium (soil, compost, sewage sludge, etc.) inoculum provision, a targeted enrichment and isolation program must be undertaken followed, possibly, by culture efficacy improvement. Microbial community process enhancement can then be gained by comprehensive characterization of the culturable and total populations. For all species, support medium attachment is critical and this is considered prior to filtration optimization by water content, pH, temperature, loadings, and nutrients manipulation. Finally, to negate discharge of fungal spores, and/or archaeal and/or bacterial cells, capture/destruction technologies are required to enable exploitation of the mineralization product CO2.

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Section: Process Optimizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Waste Gas Biofiltration: Advances and Limitations of Current Approaches in Microbiology

Ralebitso-Senior

Senior

Felice

et al. 2012

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…EPA ). It has been extensively used as a solvent for industrial cleaning, degreasing, refrigerant and electronics industries in the wafer fabrication technology (Das et al 2011;Den et al 2006;USEPA 2014a). It is estimated that around 97% of US rural areas survive on groundwater as their principal water source , and a majority of these sources are contaminated with TCE due to its usage in degreasing and dry cleaning industries .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of co-metabolic removal of trichloroethylene in a biotrickling filter under acidic conditions

Chheda

Sorial

2017

Journal of Environmental Sciences

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Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a widely used industrial solvent and one of the most frequently detected volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water, air and soil. Its harmful health effects on humans affecting every core systems of the body and its potential carcinogenicity makes TCE a toxic compound whose removal from these vital resources is necessary.Biotrickling filters have proven to be more economic and efficient while eradicating harmful VOCs as compared to other technologies like incineration, adsorption or ozonation. The current research study analyzes the effectiveness of biotrickling filtration technology to biodegrade TCE from the feed air streams. Two duplicate biotrickling filters were seeded with fungi strains and were maintained at pH 4 by a nutrient solution containing formate buffer. The nutrient solution, comprising of the crucial minerals and vitamins, was nozzle sprayed on the bed at a rate of 2 L/d. The air streams entered the systems at an empty bed residence time of 2 mins and a flow rate of 1.36 L/min. These streams were spiked with the liquid VOCs through syringe pumps. Furthermore, as TCE is a hydrophobic non-beneficial carbon source for microbes, starvation was chosen as the biomass control strategy.Initially, a spatial analysis was performed using ArcGIS to study TCE distribution across mainland USA and the industrial discharge per individual state for 2007. According to the density maps obtained, it was seen that Midwestern, Eastern and Pacific Western states were particularly contaminated with TCE, with most of the densely contaminated locations coinciding with Superfund sites. Subsequently, the co-metabolic removal of TCE in biotrickling filter systems was assessed with the feed consisting TCE and methanol (co-metabolite). Two biotrickling filters were fed with different methanol:TCE ratios -Biofilter I with 70:30 feed ratio ii and Biofilter II with 80:20 ratio. Each system was fed with various influent VOC concentrations distributed across four phases each. The main objective of this study was to obtain the VOC loading rates at which efficient elimination of TCE can be achieved. The effect of a primary substrate on TCE oxidation in a biotrickling filter was studied.Thereafter, the impact of a ternary mixture of VOCs (toluene, methanol and TCE) on TCE's oxidation in the same systems was assessed. While most studies evaluate biotrickling filters with feed of a solo or a binary mixture of VOCs, the industrial discharges often have a more complex mixture. Therefore, it is essential to gauge the response of biofilters when a ternary mixture is loaded. Toluene was selected as the third VOC because most industries releasing TCE, emit toluene and methanol along with it. The two trickle bed air biofilters were each supplied with a different ratio of toluene:methanol:TCE -Biofilter I with 45:40:15 and Biofilter II with 50:24:26. Each system was tested for three phases, with increasing TCE concentrations from Phase "A" to "C". It was observed that the elimination capacity of TCE is highly depende...

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“…Due to the spillage, leakage, and transport of TCE, a large amount of VOCs is emitted into the atmosphere. [8,14,15] TCE is known to affect the respiratory, nervous, and immune systems of the body. It is potentially carcinogenic and can lead to liver and kidney damage.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Equilibrium and thermodynamic study of trichloroethylene adsorption on activated carbon in a fluidized bed and its thermal regeneration

Nikam

Mandal

2022

Can J Chem Eng

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Volatile organic compounds (VOC), used as solvents in industries, are major sources of air pollution. Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a chlorinated VOC widely used in industries. TCE vapours are toxic in nature and adversely affect human health and the surrounding environment when exposed over the threshold limit value for a long duration. Adsorption of TCE vapours using activated carbon as an adsorbent in a fluidized bed and its thermal regeneration is a viable, effective, and economic technology for its separation from air. However, before designing such a system, the equilibrium and thermodynamic study of the adsorption of TCE vapour on activated carbon is important. In this study, the dynamic adsorption of TCE vapour was carried out in a fluidized bed using nitrogen as the carrier gas. The effect of operating conditions, including particle size of activated carbon (212–710 μm), flowrate of nitrogen (carrier gas), adsorption temperature (303–353 K), and the concentration of TCE vapour in nitrogen at the inlet (25–85 mg/L) on the adsorption capacity of TCE on the fluidized bed of activated carbon, was examined. The experimental results obtained were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The thermodynamic study showed that the adsorption of TCE was spontaneous, exothermic, and physical in nature. The effect of regeneration temperature and purge gas flowrate on the renewal of used activated carbon was also studied.

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Experiments and three phase modelling of a biofilter for the removal of toluene and trichloroethylene

Cited by 7 publications

References 21 publications

Waste Gas Biofiltration: Advances and Limitations of Current Approaches in Microbiology

Waste Gas Biofiltration: Advances and Limitations of Current Approaches in Microbiology

Evaluation of co-metabolic removal of trichloroethylene in a biotrickling filter under acidic conditions

Equilibrium and thermodynamic study of trichloroethylene adsorption on activated carbon in a fluidized bed and its thermal regeneration

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