title: Application of a solvent-tolerant microbial consortium for biofiltration of extremely high concentration gaseous solvent streams.
abstract: The aerobic biological oxidation of 2-propanol (isopropyl alcohol, IPA) at extremely high concentrations in air by an enriched solvent-tolerant microbial consortium operating at ambient temperature was evaluated for six months. Solvent-tolerant microbial cells were immobilised onto porous glass pall rings and fed with either IPA or its metabolic product acetone as sole carbon source. Successful biofiltration of solvent vapour at a concentration of 24 g m(-3) was achieved with oxidation of up to 100% total inlet carbon. The maximum IPA mass loading and IPA elimination capacity (EC) was 1700 g m(-3) h(-1). This performance exceeds all previous values published in the literature for similar processes. A slip feed experiment, using acetone, was also performed in order to assess the substrate specificity performance. The biofilter responded successfully to a switch from acetone to IPA as sole carbon source, displaying little reduction in overall organic carbon removal.
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Engineering and Environmental Technologies Group, Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leethochawalit
authors.forename: J A S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Goodwin
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Meeyoo
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bustard
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Wright
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms; D019149:Bioreactors; D006801:Humans; D012997:Solvents / Q000378:metabolism*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012997:Solvents; D019840:2-Propanol