title: Application of biological activated carbon as a low pH biofilter medium for gas mixture treatment.
abstract: Packing material is a crucial component of a bioreactor as it is the microbial population's habitat. This study assessed potential improvements to current biofiltration processes by investigating use of a novel support medium. Biological activated carbon (BAC) with microorganisms growing on granular activated carbon can produce a novel medium in which both adsorption and biodegradation contribute to pollutants removal. Investigation of carbon characteristics demonstrated that BAC was an ideal packing medium for biofiltration. The application of the novel packing medium for gas mixture treatment was evaluated in a low pH biofilter. Results demonstrated that BAC biofilter obtained high removal efficiency for both H(2)S and toluene. The removal mechanisms of BAC were investigated after the biofilter operation and it demonstrated that the performance of the BAC system was mainly controlled by the additive contributions of two removal mechanisms - adsorption and biodegradation. This study also indicated the potential for simultaneous treatment of hydrogen sulfide and toluene at low pH condition.
authors.affiliation: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore. liang_juan@pmail.ntu.edu.sg
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Lawrence Koe Choon
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chiaw
authors.forename: Xiaogang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ning
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002606:Charcoal; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D014050:Toluene / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D002606:Charcoal; D014050:Toluene; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide