Methane production from a field-scale biofilter designed for desulfurization of biogas stream.
The development of a simple and low maintenance field-scale biotrickling filter (BTF) for desulfurization of swine wastewater-derived biogas stream that was also capable of increasing biomethane concentrations was investigated. BTF was continuously fed with wastewater effluent from an air sparged nitrification-denitrification bioreactor installed downgradient from an UASB-type digester. BTF maximum removal efficiency (RE) of 99.8% was achieved with a maximum elimination capacity (EC) of 1,509 g H2S m(-3) h(-1). Average EC obtained with inlet biogas flow rates of 0.024, 0.036 and 0.048 m(3) h(-1) was 718, 1,013 and 438 g H2S m(-3) h(-1), respectively. SO4(-2) and S(0) were the major metabolites produced from biological conversion of H2S. Additionally to the satisfactory biodesulfurization capacity, an average increase in methane concentration of ≅ 3.8 ± 1.68 g m(-3) was measured in the filtered gas stream throughout 200 days of BTF operation. RT-PCR analyses of archaea communities in the biofilm confirmed dominance of hydrogenotrophic methanogens thus corroborating with the observed strong correlation between CO2 removal and CH4 production. Among the three major archaea orders investigated (i.e., Methanosarcinales, Methanobacteriales, and Methanomicrobiales), Methanobacteriales were encountered at highest concentrations (1.9 × 10(11) gene copies mL(-1)). The proposed BTF was robust efficiently removing H2S from biogas stream while concomitantly enhancing the concentration of valuable methane as source of renewable fuel.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil. Electronic address: mateus.pirolli@posgrad.ufsc.br.
Mateus
M
Pirolli
EMBRAPA Swine and Poultry, P.O. Box 321, Concórdia, SC, 89700-000 Brazil. Electronic address: marcio.busi@embrapa.br.
Márcio Luís Busi
ML
da Silva
Biotechnology and Sciences Program, West University of Santa Catarina, Videira, SC 89560-000 Brazil. Electronic address: melissa.mezzari@unoesc.edu.br.
Melissa Paola
MP
Mezzari
Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil. Electronic address: willian.michelom@posgrad.ufsc.br.
William
W
Michelon
Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil. Electronic address: jean.prandini@posgrad.ufsc.br.
Jean Michel
JM
Prandini
Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900 Brazil. Electronic address: soares@enq.ufsc.br.
Hugo
H
Moreira Soares
D000818:Animals; D001105:Archaea / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018441:Biofilms; D056804:Biofuels; D019149:Bioreactors; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D058440:Denitrification; D004867:Equipment Design; D005374:Filtration / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D008372:Manure; D008697:Methane / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D059013:Microbial Consortia / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D058465:Nitrification; D013552:Swine; D062065:Wastewater
D056804:Biofuels; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide; D008372:Manure; D008697:Methane; D062065:Wastewater
Biodesulfurization; Biotrickling filter; Hydrogenotrophic; Methane; RT-PCR