Biofiltration of toluene vapors in a carbon-medium biofilter

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:479365

Medina, V F ^[1]; Devinny, J S ^[2]; Ramaratnam, M ^[3]

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1. RMT Inc., Waukesha, WI (United States)
2. Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Environmental Engineering Program
3. Westates Carbon, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

Treatment of toluene vapors in a biofilter with a packed bed of activated carbon pellets was tested. The flowrate was 0.14 m{sup 3}/min, the volume of the bed was 0.25 m{sup 3}, and the bed depth was 1 m. The reactor was capable of removing 70% of the toluene at an input concentration of 2,700 {micro}g/L with an empty bed detection time of 1.8 min. Total removal was 64 g/m{sup 3}/h. Organic carbon removed from the air in a biofilter may be oxidized or incorporated into the biomass. Measurements of heat production and carbon dioxide production indicated, respectively, that 29% or 38% of the removed toluene was oxidized, while the remainder, 62% to 71%, was incorporated into biomass by cell synthesis. The rapid growth of the biomass indicates clogging may occur in biofilters operated at these rates.

• OSTI ID: 479365
• Report Number(s): CONF-950483--; ISBN 1-57477-010-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
BIODEGRADATION
BIOREACTORS
GASEOUS WASTES
PACKED BEDS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TOLUENE
VAPORS