title: Analysis and comparison of biotreatment of air polluted with ethanol using biofiltration and biotrickling filtration.
abstract: This study analyses the performance of ethanol biofiltration with percolation (biotrickling filtration, BTF) comparing to a conventional biofilter (biofiltration, BF). Two biofilters packed with clay balls were operated in a range of inlet concentrations of ethanol in the air varying from 0.47 to 2.36 g m(-3). For both the BF and BTF, the specific growth rate (mu) and the elimination capacity (EC) decreased with the ethanol inlet concentration, presenting a kinetic of substrate inhibition. A Haldane-type model was adjusted for both biofilters in order to model both EC and mu as a function of the ethanol inlet concentration in the gas. The maximum EC was similar for both biofilters, at around 46 g m(-3) h(-1), whereas the maximum mu was 0.0057 h(-1) for the BF and 0.0103 h(-1) for the BTF. The maximum of ethanol removed, occurred at the lowest inlet concentration of (0.47 gm(-3)), and reached 86% for the BF and 74% for the BTF.
authors.affiliation: Ecole des Mines d'Albi-Carmaux, Albi, France.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morotti
authors.forename: Antonio Avalos
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ramirez
authors.forename: J Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heitz
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D005374:Filtration / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D000431:Ethanol