title: Performance evaluation of a scoria-compost biofilter treating xylene vapors.
abstract: The removal of xylene vapors was studied in a biofilter packed with a new hybrid (scoria/compost) packing material at various inlet loads (IL) and empty bed residence times (EBRT) of 90, 60, and 40s. The best performance was observed for EBRT of 90s, where a removal efficiency of 98% was obtained under steady state condition for inlet xylene concentration of 1.34 g m(-3), while a maximum elimination capacity of 97.5 g m(-3) h(-1) was observed for IL of 199.5 g m(-3) h(-1). Carbon dioxide production rates and the microbial counts for xylene-degraders followed xylene elimination capacities. Overall look to the results of this study indicates that the scoria/compost mixture could be considered as a potential biofilter carrier, with low pressure drop (here <4 mm H2O), to treat air streams containing VOCs.
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, IUMS, Isfahan, Iran ; Student Research Center, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Mehdi
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rahimi
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, IUMS, Isfahan, Iran ; Student Research Center, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Bijan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bina
authors.affiliation: Environment Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (IUMS) and Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, IUMS, Isfahan, Iran ; Student Research Center, School of Health, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran ; Department of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Health, Hormozgan University of Medical Sciences, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heidari
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Health, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Fazel
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mohammadi Moghadam
keywords: Biofilter; Compost; Elimination capacity; Scoria; Xylene