Biofiltration control of VOC emissions: Butane and benzene
- Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL (United States)
Laboratory studies were conducted on the biological elimination of n-butane and benzene from air streams using activated sludge-treated compost biofilters. Four types of experimental biofilter systems were developed: a bench scale packed tower system used primarily for kinetic studies; a small scale column system used to study the effects of different filter media on n-butane removal; a three stage system used to study benzene elimination; and a static batch biofilter system used to study the effects of temperature, compost water content, compost pH, and initial benzene concentrations on benzene elimination. Removal efficiencies greater than 90% were obtained for n-butane. Removal followed first order kinetics at inlet concentrations less than 25 ppM n-butane and zero order kinetics above 100 ppM n-butane. Removal of benzene followed fractional order kinetics for inlet concentrations from 15 to 200 ppM benzene. Thus, the removal of benzene is both mass transfer and bioreaction limited for the concentration range studied. The removal efficiency of benzene was found to be highly dependent on compost water content, compost pH, and temperature. Compost showed a low capacity for benzene removal, which suggested that degradation of these hydrocarbons required different species of microorganisms.
- OSTI ID:
- 210480
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9509139--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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