Solid-liquid two-phase partitioning bioreactors for the treatment of gas-phase volatile organic carbons (VOCs) by a microbial consortium

Abstract

A two-phase partitioning bioreactor (TPPB), employing styrene-butadiene co-polymer beads as the sequestering/delivery phase, was used to treat high step change loadings of toluene in a contaminated air stream. The polymers, which are biocompatible and non-bioavailable, allowed the use of a microbial consortium and effectively absorbed and released the toluene vapours for biodegradation, while providing a buffering effect against high toluene transients. Toluene loadings were increased from a base steady state rate of 343-6,000 g/m(3) h for 1 h periods, with the polymer-aqueous system substantially outperforming a single phase system on the basis of improving the toluene removal efficiency and reducing the maximum toluene concentrations emitted during the transients.

Influence of ground tire rubber on the transient loading response of a peat biofilter

“…biofilm) could adversely affect the adsorption capacity of them as packing materials in the biofilter, although Nabatilan and Moe (2010) observed that the adsorption capacity of a GAC prefilter was not significantly affected with humidity values lower than 90%. In addition, the partition coefficient values obtained in this work are in agreement with those previously reported for sorption into rubber of aqueous phase toluene and m-xylene (Daugulis and Boudreau, 2008;Gunasekara et al, 2000;Kim et al, 1997). …”

Methane degradation in two-phase partition bioreactors

“…Nevertheless, silicone oil has certain drawbacks as transfer vector, as it is relatively expensive and its recovery may increase process costs. Alternative organic phases, including solid polymers, have been proposed for the degradation of poorly soluble compounds [13].…”

Novel Bioreactors for Waste Gas Treatment

“…Nielsen et al ( 2005 ) had shown earlier that, for a pure strain of bacteria treating VOCs, a constant biomass concentration will eventually be established due to cellular maintenance requirements, which are responsible for all of the substrate consumed. This principle can be extended to mixed microbial consortia present in the reactor, after an initial growth period (Daugulis and Boudreau 2008 ) . …”

“…Nevertheless, silicone oil has certain disadvantages such as its relatively high cost and because its recovery may increase process costs. Recently, it has been proposed that solid polymers could be used as an alternative organic-phase, for the degradation of hydrophobic compounds (Daugulis and Boudreau 2008 ) .…”

“…Previously, for gas-phase toluene removal in a continuous stirred-tank bioreactor, when a sudden shock-load was imparted from 343 g/m 3 .h to approximately 6,000 g/m 3 .h, in a single-phase system, the removal effi ciency of the system decreased from 97% to about 52% during the 60 min shock-load, decreasing further by another 14% for a brief period of time (20 min), refl ecting the increased stripping of accumulated toluene once the step increase has been terminated (Daugulis and Boudreau 2008 ) . Bailón et al ( 2009 ) conducted a series of shock-loading experiments, viz., as low-medium, medium-high, and low-high overloads and observed the performance changes during the treatment of gas-phase dichloromethane.…”