title: 1-Butanol removal from a contaminated airstream under continuous and diurnal loading conditions.
abstract: A polysulfone microporous membrane module was investigated for control of 1-butanol-contaminated gas streams. A diurnal loading condition, using two different butanol concentrations, was used to simulate start-up and stop conditions associated with shift work. The membrane module was also used to remove 1-butanol from air under continuous loading conditions in a bioreactor. The reactors were seeded with a mixed bacterial consortium capable of butanol biodegradation. Biokinetic parameters for butanol utilization were determined for the culture to be a maximum specific utilization rate (k) equal to 4.3 d(-1) and a half saturation constant (Ks) equal to 8.9 mg L(-1). A biofilter running only with diurnal loading conditions giving a "40-hr work-week" had an average 1-butanol removal rate of 29% (111 ppm, 74 gm(-3) hr(-1)) from a 350-ppm influent at the end of an 8-hr operational day. End-of-day removal varied between 4 and 67% during the operational period. With continuous steady-state operation followed by placement on a diurnal loading schedule and influent butanol concentrations increased to 700 ppm, butanol removal averaged 38% (269 ppm, 145 gm-3 hr(-1)). Under continuous loading, steady-state conditions, 1-butanol removal from the airstream was greater than 99% (200 ppm, 73 gm-3 hr(-1)). These results suggest that the bioreactor can be operated on a diurnal schedule or 40-hr week operational schedule without any decline in performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil Engineering, University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Missouri 65409, USA.
authors.forename: Mark W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fitch
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: England
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D020001:1-Butanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D000327:Adsorption; D000392:Air Movements; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019149:Bioreactors; D005374:Filtration; D010507:Periodicity
chemical_list: D020001:1-Butanol