Microbiological and kinetic aspects of a biofilter for the removal of toluene from waste gases

Journal Article · Tue Apr 20 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · Biotechnology and Bioengineering

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0290(19990420)63:2<175::AID-BIT6>3.0.CO;2-G· OSTI ID:347675

Acuna, M E; Perez, F; Revah, S ^[1]; Auria, R ^[2]

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1. Univ. Autonoma Metropolitana-Iztapalapa, Mexico City (Mexico). Dept. de Ingenieria de Procesos e Hidraulica
2. ORSTOM, Mexico City (Mexico). Inst. Francais of Recherche Scientifique pour Developpement en Cooperation

Microbiological and kinetic aspects of a biofilter inoculated with a consortium of five bacteria and two yeast adapted to remove toluene vapors were investigated. Initially the toluene sorption isotherm on peat and the effect of different environmental conditions on the toluene consumption rates of this consortium were measured. The fast start-up of the biofilter and the decay in the elimination capacity (EC) were reproduced using microcosm assays with toluene successive additions. Nutrient limitation and a large degree of heterogeneity were also detected. EC values, extrapolated from microcosms, were higher than biofilter EC when it was operating close to 100% efficiency but tended to relate better as the biofilter EC diminished. In studies on the microbial evolution in the biofilter, an increase in the cell count and variation in the ecology of the consortium were noted. Bacterial counts up to 10 {times} 10{sup 11} cfu/g{sub dry peat} were found in 88 days, which corresponds to about a 10{sup 4} increase from inoculum. Observations with SEM showed a nonuniform biofilm development on the support and the presence of an extracellular material. The results obtained in this work demonstrated that activity measurement in microcosms concomitant to the biofilter operation could be an important tool for understanding, predicting and improving the biofiltration performance.

• OSTI ID: 347675
• Journal Information: Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Journal Name: Biotechnology and Bioengineering Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 63; ISSN BIBIAU; ISSN 0006-3592
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
GASEOUS WASTES
INDUSTRIAL WASTES
TOLUENE