Odor abatement in biotrickling filters: effect of the EBRT on methyl mercaptan and hydrophobic VOCs removal.
The performance and microbiology of a biotrickling filter (BTF) treating methyl mercaptan, toluene, alpha-pinene and hexane at the mg m(-3) level was studied at empty bed residence times (EBRT) of 50, 30, 11 and 7 s. Removal efficiencies (REs) higher than 95% were observed for MeSH, toluene and alpha-pinene even at 11 s, while hexane REs exceeded 70%. At 7 s, an irreversible damage of the microbial activity due to the accumulation of toxic metabolites resulted in a decrease of REs. The addition of silicone stabilized process performance but only re-inoculation allowed achieving a complete removal of MeSH, toluene and alpha-pinene, and hexane REs of 80%. The high K(L)a values (ranging from 38 ± 4 to 90 ± 11 h(-1)) explained the good BTF performance at such low EBRTs. A high bacterial diversity, along with a vertical distribution of the bacterial communities was observed, the main phyla being Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Nitrospira, Chloroflexi and Gemmatimonadertes.
Department of Chemical Engineering and Environmental Technology, University of Valladolid, Paseo del Prado de Magdalena s/n, 47011 Valladolid, Spain.
Raquel
R
Lebrero
Elisa
E
Rodríguez
José M
JM
Estrada
Pedro A
PA
García-Encina
Raúl
R
Muñoz
D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D058645:Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006586:Hexanes / Q000032:analysis; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000032:analysis; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D013997:Time Factors; D014050:Toluene / Q000032:analysis
D000081008:Bicyclic Monoterpenes; D005232:Fatty Acids, Volatile; D006586:Hexanes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; C026385:n-hexane; C005231:methylmercaptan; D014050:Toluene; C005451:alpha-pinene