Comparison of the purification performance and microbial community functional diversity in flow-directional-switching and unidirectional-flow biotrickling filters

Because of the characteristics of low operating cost and convenient operation, the biotrickling filter is extensively researched and used to treat low concentration waste gas contaminated by volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other odors. In this paper, two laboratory-scale biotrickling filters were constructed and toluene was selected as the sole carbon source, and the effects of different waste-gas flow configuration patterns on the purification capacity and the microbial community functional diversity of biotrickling filters were evaluated. The results indicated that the flow-directional-switching (FDS) biotrickling filter had better purification performance, and the maximum elimination capacity reached 480 g·m^?3·hr^?1, which was 17.1% higher than conventional unidirectional-flow (UF) biotrickling filter. Comparing the purification capacities of different sections in two biotrickling filters, the maximum toluene elimination capacity of section III in FDS system could reach 542 g·m^?3·hr^?1, which was 2.8 times as great as that in UF system, which resulted from the difference of elimination capacity in two systems. By analyzing the metabolic activity of two systems by community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) with Biolog (Biolog Inc., Hayward, CA) ECO-plate technique, metabolic activity in three sections of FDS system was higher than that of UF system. The metabolic activity was the highest in section III of FDS system and 46.8% higher than that of UF system. Shannon index and McIntosh index of section III in FDS system were 6.2% and 31.5% higher, respectively, than those of UF system.

Implications: The flow-directional-switching (FDS) biotrickling filter had a better purification performance than unidirectional-flow (UF) biotrickling filter at high inlet loadings, because FDS produced a more uniform distribution of biomass and microbial metabolic capacity along the length of the packed bed without diminishing activity and removal capacity in the inlet section.     

生物滴滤-生物过滤组合工艺处理汽车喷漆废气中试研究

采用中试规模的生物滴滤-生物过滤组合工艺设备处理某汽车厂喷漆车间废气,研究了组合式反应器对废气的净化效果和2处理单元对污染组分的去除能力及微生物特性.该汽车厂喷漆车间废气中的主要组分为甲苯、二甲苯、乙酸乙酯、乙酸丁酯、丁醇、丙酮和甲基丙基甲酮.组合式反应器对废气中的污染物有较好的处理效果,但不同的污染组分在不同处理单元...     

间歇运行式生物滴滤池处理油漆废气中试研究

为研究间歇运行式生物滴滤池对油漆生产厂废气净化能力，建立一座中试规模生物滴滤池（BTF），接种降解菌群，采用8 h/d运行方式净化某油漆厂包装车间废气，并用PCR-DGGE技术揭示BTF细菌群落结构与工艺运行条件间的联系。油漆厂包装车间废气中挥发性有机物（VOCs）主要为甲苯、乙苯、混合二甲苯（间、对和邻二甲苯），BTF对甲苯、乙苯、混合二甲苯最大去除率分别为88.8%、83.7%和86.3%。DGGE分析显示，BTF稳定运行时，主要优势菌相对丰度较为稳定（F，P>0.05），其细菌多样性显著低于启动期（F，P>0.05）；同时，下层填料细菌多样性高于上层填料，其细菌结构变化也较上层明显；另外，提升培养液浓度至2倍和4倍对菌群结构亦无显著影响。     

Oxidation of gas mixtures containing dimethyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, and methanethiol using a two-stage biotrickling filter

A biofiltration technique was developed for removing a mixture of hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methanethiol (MeSH), and dimethyl sulfide (Me2S) from waste gases. Since H2S, especially at high concentrations, disturbs the removal of Me2S, two biotrickling filters with different microbes and operating pH levels were connected in series to create a two-stage system. Different loads of these gases were studied in order to determine their impact on the removal capacity of the system. The microbial consortia for these filters were enriched from the sludge of a Finnish refinery with bubbling H2S or Me2S. Acclimation for Me2S took 2 weeks, though no acclimation time was needed for the other gases. The first filter, at a pH of 2, removed most of the H2S and some of the MeSH and Me2S. The second filter, at a pH of approximately 6.5, removed the rest of the MeSH and most of the Me2S. The total maximum loads of the whole two-stage biotrickling filter were 1150 g/m3/day for H2S-S (suffix S indicates the results are counted as sulfur amounts), 879 g/m3/day for Me2S-S, and 66 g/m3/day for MeSH-S treated in a gas mixture. The average removal efficiencies for all gases tested were 99% or higher.     

The control of mercury vapor using biotrickling filters

The feasibility of using biotrickling filters for the removal of mercury vapor from simulated flue gases was evaluated. The experiments were carried out in laboratory-scale biotrickling filters with various mixed cultures naturally attached on a polyurethane foam packing. Sulfur oxidizing bacteria, toluene degraders and denitrifiers were used and compared for their ability to remove Hg 0 vapor. In particular, the biotrickling filters with sulfur oxidizing bacteria were able to remove 100% of mercury vapor, with an inlet concentration of 300-650 microg m(-3), at a gas contact time as low as six seconds. 87-92% of the removed mercury was fixed in or onto the microbial cells while the remaining left the system with the trickling liquid. The removal of mercury vapors in a biotrickling filter with dead cells was almost equivalent to this in biotrickling filters with live cells, indicating that significant abiotic removal mechanisms existed. Sulfur oxidizing bacteria biotrickling filters were the most effective in controlling mercury vapors, suggesting that sulfur played a key role. Identification of the location of metal deposition and of the form of metal was conducted using TEM, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and mercury elution analyses. The results suggested that mercury removal was through a series of complex mechanisms, probably both biotic and abiotic, including sorption in and onto cellular material and possible biotransformations. Overall, the study demonstrates that biotrickling filters appear to be a promising alternative for mercury vapor removal from flue gases.     

PCR-DGGE技术用于处理苯乙烯废气的生物滴滤塔中微生物优势菌种解析

采用生物滴滤塔能够有效去除含苯乙烯恶臭气体,塔内微生物中含有大量的球菌和杆状菌。采用聚合酶链式反应-变性梯度凝胶电泳(PCR-DGGE)技术研究处理苯乙烯恶臭气体的生物滴滤塔填料表面的微生物,结果表明,去除苯乙烯生物滴滤塔中有5种菌为降解苯乙烯的优势菌种;通过16S rDNA基因扩增测序同源性比对,结果显示嗜甲基杆菌属(methylophilus)丰度为50.5%,2种变形菌属(alpha proteobacterium、delta proteobacterium)相对丰度分别为16.9%和11.6%。     

Simulating accumulation of biofilms in biotrickling filter

Accumulations and spatial and dynamic variations of biofilms in the media of a biotrickling filter were simulated using mathematical models for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) removal. Toluene was selected as the model VOC. Effects of toluene concentration and gas Empty Bed Contact Time (EBCT) on VOC removal were also investigated. Results showed that biofilm thickness increased with increased operation duration and the growth rate of biofilms increased with increased inlet toluene concentration and EBCT at a constant toluene loading. The profiles of the thickness and growth rate of biofilms along the medium depth dropped gradually at a certain time.     

Photocatalytic degradation of volatile organic compounds at the gas-solid interface of a TiO2 photocatalyst

In the present work, photocatalytic degradation of volatile organic compounds including gas-phase trichloroethylene (TCE), acetone, methanol and toluene over illuminated TiO2 was closely examined in a batch photoreactor as a function of water vapor, molecular oxygen and reaction temperature. Water vapor enhanced the photocatalytic degradation rate of toluene, but was inhibitive for acetone, and, there was an optimum water vapor concentration in the TCE and methanol removal. In a nitrogen atmosphere, it showed lower photocatalytic degradation rate than in air and pure oxygen. Thus, it could be concluded that oxygen is an essential component in photocatalytic reactions by trapping photogenerated electrons on the semiconductor surface and by decreasing the recombination of electrons and holes. As for the influence of reaction temperature, it was found that photocatalytic degradation was more effective at a moderate temperature than at an elevated temperature for each compound.     

Co-treatment of hydrogen sulfide and methanol in a single-stage biotrickling filter under acidic conditions

Biofiltration of waste gases is cost-effective and environment-friendly compared to the conventional techniques for treating large flow rates of gas streams with low concentrations of pollutants. Pulp and paper industry off-gases usually contain reduced sulfur compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide and a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), e.g., methanol. It is desirable to eliminate both of these groups of compounds. Since the co-treatment of inorganic sulfur compounds and VOCs in biotrickling filters is a relatively unexplored area, the simultaneous biotreatment of H2S and methanol as the model VOC was investigated. The results showed that, after adaptation, the elimination capacity of methanol could reach around 236 g m(-3) h(-1) with the simultaneous complete removal (100%) of 12 ppm H2S when the empty bed residence time is 24 s. The pH of the system was around 2. Methanol removal was hardly affected by the presence of hydrogen sulfide, despite the low pH. Conversely, the presence of the VOC in the waste gas reduced the efficiency of H2S biodegradation. The maximal methanol removal decreased somewhat when increasing the gas flow rate. This is the first report on the degradation of methanol at such low pH in a biotrickling filter and on the co-treatment of H2S and VOCs under such conditions.     

Abiotic and biological mechanisms of nitric oxide removal from waste air in biotrickling filters

Nitric oxide (NO) may participate in the ozone layer depletion and forming of nitric acid. Abiotic and biological mechanisms of NO removal from waste gases were studied in a biotrickling filter. The abiotic NO removal rate in the biotrickling filter was estimated by a review of the literature. The abiotic and biological removals were also verified in the biotrickling filter. The result has shown that chemical oxidation and bionitrification were both involved in the NO removal. It was found that the NO removal in high concentration (approximately 1000 ppm or higher) was in large measure the result of abiotic removal in both gas-phase and liquid-phase reactions. When NO concentration is low (less than approximately 100 ppm), bionitrification was the main process in the NO removal process in the biotrickling filter.     

Biotrickling filtration of airborne styrene: A comparison of filtration media

This study compares the performances of fern and plastic chips as packing media for the biofiltration of a styrene-laden waste gas stream emitted in a plant for the manufacture of plastic door plates. Fern chips (with a specific surface area of 1090 m² m^?3) and plastic chips (with a specific surface area of 610 m² m^?3) were packed into a pilot-scale biotrickling filter with a total medium volume of 50 L for the performance test. Field waste gas with styrene concentrations in the range of 161–2390 mg Am^?3 at 28–30 °C) was introduced to the bed and a fixed empty-bed retention time (EBRT) of 21 sec, a volumetric gas flow rate of 8.57 m³ hr^?1, and superficial gas velocity of 53.6 m hr^?1 were maintained throughout the experimental period. Nutrients containing metal salts, nitrogen, phosphorus, and milk were supplemented to the filters for maintaining the microbial activities. Results reveal that the biotrickling filter developed in this study had the highest styrene monomer (SM) elimination capacities (170 g m^?3 hr^?1 for fern-chip packing and 300 g m^?3 hr^?1 for plastic-chip packing) among those cited in the literature. The plastic medium is a favorable substitute for endangered fern chips. The thermal-setting nature of plastic chips limits their recycle and reuse as raw materials, and the study provides an opportunity for the utilization of the materials.

Implications: Biotreatment of contaminants in air streams offers an inexpensive and efficient alternative to conventional technologies. Biofiltration has a great potential for the degradation of gas-borne styrene and total hydrocarbon (THC) removal efficiency of around 80%. The objective of this research was to compare the performances of fern chips and a kind of plastic chips as packing media for biofiltration of the styrene-laden waste gas stream emitted from cutting operations of stripes of premixed unsaturated polyester (UP) and styrene paste before hot-pressing operations for making plastic door plates. From a practical point of view, the plastic medium can be a good substitute medium for fern chips, which has been declared as a protected plant. This study provides an experimentally verified model for the design and operation of such biotreatment systems.     

Public Reaction to SIP Revisions for Ozone Reduction

ABSTRACT

This study utilized a biotrickling filter with blast-furnace slag packings (sizes = 20-40 mm; specific surface area = 120 m²/m³) to treat toluene in an air stream. Also studied were the effects of volumetric loading (L), nutrient addition, and superficial gas velocity (U_g) or gas retention time on toluene elimination capacity. Experimental results indicate that, for a test period of 121 days, with no excess biomass removal, toluene removal efficiencies of over 90% were obtained with U_g < 80 m/hr and L < 30 g/m³.hr. For a test period of 49 days, with U_g < 80 m/hr and L increased from 1.2 to 81 g/m³.hr, the absence of nutrient supplementation did not limit the toluene elimination capacity. Nutrients stored in the biofilm could adequately support the microbial activity for the toluene elimination. According to data regression, a simplified mass-transfer model is proposed, which correlates the contaminant concentration with the packing height or gas empty bed retention time. As verified, the model proposed herein can be applied to cases involving low influent contaminant concentrations or loadings to the extent that none or only a trace amount of the contaminant can be found in the recirculation liquid. Although small media with larger specific surface areas can achieve a better mass transfer, the problems of frequent backwashing and relatively greater gas resistance in using this type of media probably outweigh the advantages, particularly for full-scale systems that would not be watched as closely as laboratory test systems.     

生物滴滤塔净化甲苯启动性能研究

研究以甲苯为驯导物的生物滴滤塔挂膜启动阶段净化性能的变化。实验结果表明,通过控制pH和湿度得到了真菌滴滤系统,启动周期为14 d,比细菌滴滤塔长7 d;在进化性能方面,在入口负荷、浓度为80 g/(m3.h)、3 000 mg/m3的条件下获得了稳定在98%以上的去除效率;对比2种填料对启动阶段的影响,在较低负荷下(≤80 g/(m3.h))对系统的启动时间和去除效率没有显著影响。     

生物滴滤塔处理有机废气的填料选择研究

以含低浓度乙酸、正己烷和苯乙烯的混合有机气体模拟实际有机废气,采用实验室规模的生物滴滤塔处理有机废气,并比较了海绵、珊瑚石、陶粒和空心塑料小球4种填料的性能。结果表明:(1)生物滴滤塔启动时间最短的为海绵生物滴滤塔(约20d),其次为陶粒生物滴滤塔(约25d),启动时间较长的为珊瑚石生物滴滤塔(约35d)和空心塑料小球生物滴滤塔(约40d)。(2)在稳定运行期,不同填料生物滴滤塔对水溶性和极性较强的乙酸的去除率差异尤为明显,对正己烷和苯乙烯的去除率差异相对较小。(3)4种填料生物滴滤塔中的异养细菌数量依次为海绵>陶粒>珊瑚石>空心塑料小球。运行80d时,海绵、陶粒、珊瑚石和空心塑料小球生物滴滤塔中的异养细菌数量分别达5.9×108、4.8×108、3.6×108、3.0×108 cfu/g(以单位质量干填料计)。(4)在相同的进气流速下,4种填料生物滴滤塔的填料层压力降依次为珊瑚石>陶粒>空心塑料小球>海绵。(5)海绵和陶粒较适宜作为生物滴滤塔的填料。     

错流式生物滴滤床净化甲苯废气

采用焦化厂污泥为菌源驯化甲苯降解菌，接种错流式生物滴滤床，净化含甲苯废气。研究了生物滴滤床的挂膜启动和长期运行情况，填料和营养液对滴滤床去除能力的影响，并对长期运行的压降进行了观察分析。反应器挂膜启动需要6 d时间，稳定运行的平均去除效率为95％，单位体积最大去除负荷为251 g/(m³·h)。结果表明，采用错流式生物滴滤床可以有效去除甲苯废气；以比表面积大的生物陶粒作为填料以及定期适量更换营养液，均有助于提高生物滴滤床的去除能力；错流式生物滴滤床具有压降小、气液分布均匀的特点。     

Biofilter treatment of volatile organic compound emissions from reformulated paint: complex mixtures, intermittent operation, and startup

Two biofilters were operated to treat a waste gas stream intended to simulate off-gases generated during the manufacture of reformulated paint. The model waste gas stream consisted of a five-component solvent mixture containing acetone (450 ppm(v)), methyl ethyl ketone (12 ppm(v)), toluene (29 ppm(v)), ethylbenzene (10 ppm(v)), and p-xylene (10 ppm(v)). The two biofilters, identical in construction and packed with a polyurethane foam support medium, were inoculated with an enrichment culture derived from compost and then subjected to different loading conditions during the startup phase of operation. One biofilter was subjected to intermittent loading conditions with contaminants supplied only 8 hr/day to simulate loading conditions expected at facilities where manufacturing operations are discontinuous. The other biofilter was subjected to continuous contaminant loading during the initial start period, and then was switched to intermittent loading conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that both startup strategies can ultimately achieve high contaminant removal efficiency (>99%) at a target contaminant mass loading rate of 80.3 g m(-3) hr(-1) and an empty bed residence time of 59 sec. The biofilter subjected to intermittent loading conditions at startup, however, took considerably longer to reach high performance. In both biofilters, ketone components (acetone and methyl ethyl ketone) were, more rapidly degraded than aromatic hydrocarbons (toluene, ethylbenzene, and p-xylene). Scanning electron microscopy and plate count data revealed that fungi, as well as bacteria, populated the biofilters.     

复合生物滤池处理H2S和NH3的挂膜与工艺条件

采用复合生物滤池(生物滴滤池 生物过滤池)处理H2S和NH3组成的混合恶臭气体,填料分别为经表面改性的天然斜发沸石和木屑.实验研究了该工艺的驯化挂膜情况和主要工艺条件,结果表明,天然斜发沸石和木屑改性后,驯化挂膜周期为10～14 d,比文献中颗粒活性炭挂膜缩短14～18 d.复合生物滤池的最佳工艺条件为:高度120 cm,循环液流量4.56 L/h.同时,生物滴滤池处理水溶性好的NH3气体效果较生物过滤池好,而生物过滤池处理水溶性差的H2S气体较生物滴滤池好.因此,复合生物滤池可用于处理不同水溶性的混合恶臭气体.     

Chemical absorption process for degradation of VOC gas using heterogeneous gas-liquid photocatalytic oxidation: toluene degradation by photo-Fenton reaction

A novel process for degradation of toluene in the gas-phase using heterogeneous gas-liquid photocatalytic oxidation has been developed. The degradation of toluene gas by photo-Fenton reaction in the liquid-phase has experimentally examined. The photo-Fenton reaction in the liquid-phase could improve the overall toluene absorption rate by increasing the driving force for mass transfer and as a result enhance the removal of toluene in the exhaust gas. The toluene concentrations in the inlet gas were varied in the range from 0.0968 to 8.69gm(-3) with initial hydrogen peroxide concentration of 400mgl(-1) and Fe dose of 5.0mgl(-1). It was found that toluene in the inlet gas was almost completely dissolved into water and degraded in the liquid-phase for the inlet toluene gas concentration of less than 0.42gm(-3). The dynamic process of toluene gas degradation by the photo-Fenton reaction providing information for reaction kinetics and mass transfer rate was examined. Toluene removal kinetic analysis indicated that photo-Fenton degradation was significantly affected by H(2)O(2) concentration. The experimental results were satisfactorily described by the predictions simulated using the simplified tanks-in-series model combined with toluene removal kinetic analysis. The present results showed that the proposed chemical absorption process using the photo-Fenton heterogeneous gas-liquid photocatalytic oxidation is very effective for degradation of volatile organic gases.     

修复 PAHs 复合污染体系的高效菌群构建及降解特性简

从污染环境分离和筛选得到了9株PAHs降解菌，以其为基本菌种，构建高效修复PAHs复合污染体系的菌群（D）。采用平板稀释涂布计数法对降解体系中菌群（D）的动态结构进行了解析，数据显示菌群内的微生物在降解过程中能相互协作，发挥稳定且高效的降解作用。实验进一步研究了菌群D对单一PAH和混合PAHs的降解特性，结果表明，无论对单一PAH还是混合PAHs，菌群D均具有较强的降解能力。当降解历时6 d，菌群D能使40 mg/L的单一PAH平均降解85.8%，使60 mg/L的混合PAHs平均去除89.4%。菌群D在多环芳烃复合污染体系的生物修复方面具有潜在的应用价值。     

The treatment of waste air containing phenol vapors in biotrickling filter

This research aimed at investigating the biodegradation of phenol contaminated-air streams in biotrickling filter. The effect of inlet concentration (200-1000 ppmv) and empty bed contact time (EBCT) (15-60 s) were investigated under steady state, transient and shock loading, and shutdown periods. Upon rapid start up operation, inlet phenol concentrations of up to 1000 ppmv did not significantly affect the performance of the biotrickling filter at EBCT of 60 s, so that removal efficiency was well greater than 99%. In addition, the EBCT as low as 30 s did not have detrimental effects on the efficiency of the bioreactor and phenol removal was greater than 99%. Decreasing the EBCT to 15s reduced the removal efficiency to around 92%. The maximum elimination capacity obtained in the biotrickling filter was 642 g(phenol) m(-3) h(-1), where the removal efficiency was only 57%. Results from the transient loading experiments revealed that the biotrickling filter could effectively handle the variations of the inlet loads without the phenol removal capacity being significantly affected.