title: Temperature and moisture effect on spore emission in the fungal biofiltration of hydrophobic VOCs.
abstract: The effect of temperature and moisture on the elimination capacity (EC), CO(2) production and spore emission by Fusarium solani was studied in biofilters packed with vermiculite and fed with n- pentane. Three temperatures (15, 25 and 35°C) were tested and the highest average EC (64 g m(-3) h(-1)) and lower emission of spores (2.0 × 10(3) CFU m(-3) air) were obtained at 25°C. The effect of moisture content of the packing material indicates that the highest EC (65 g m(-3) h(-1)) was obtained at 50 % moisture. However, lowest emission (1.3 × 10(3) CFU m(-3) air) was obtained at 80 % moisture. Furthermore, the results show that a slight decrease in spore emission was found with increasing moisture content. In all cases, the depletion of the nitrogen source in the biofilter induced the sporulation, a decay of the EC and increased spore emission.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Energías Renovables y Calidad Ambiental, Escuela de Ingeniería de Procesos Industriales, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco, Chile. avergara@uctemuco.cl
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vergara-Fernández
authors.forename: Vanida
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salgado-Ísmodes
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pino
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernández
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Revah
mesh_terms: D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*; D005670:Fusarium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds