title: Treatment of gaseous toluene in three biofilters inoculated with fungi/bacteria: Microbial analysis, performance and starvation response.
abstract: Bacteria and fungi are often utilized for the biodegradation of organic pollutants. This study compared fungal and/or bacterial biofiltration in treating toluene under both steady and unsteady states. Fungal biofilter (F-BF) removed less toluene than both bacterial biofilters (B-BF) and fungal & bacterial biofilters (F&B-BF) (<20% vs >60% vs >90%). The mineralization ratio was also lower in F-BF-levels were 2/3 and 1/2 of those values obtained by the other biofilters. Microbial analysis showed that richer communities were present in B-BF and F&B-BF, and that the Hypocreales genus which Trichoderma viride belongs to was much better represented in F&B-BF. The F&B-BF also supported enhanced robustness after 15-day starvation episodes; 1 day later the performance recovered to 80% of the original removal level. The combination of bacteria and fungi makes biofiltration a good option for VOC treatment including better removal and performance stability versus individual biofilters (bacteria or fungi dominated).
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Zhuowei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lichao
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University of La Coruña, Spain.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kennes
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jianming
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China. Electronic address: jchen@zjut.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jianmeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001105:Archaea; D001419:Bacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D019149:Bioreactors; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D003470:Culture Media; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005374:Filtration; D005658:Fungi / Q000378:metabolism*; D005740:Gases; D006999:Hypocreales / Q000378:metabolism; D014050:Toluene / Q000378:metabolism*; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005740:Gases; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D014050:Toluene; D004247:DNA
keywords: Bacteria; Biofilter; Fungi; Microbial community; Removal efficiency