Biodegradation of Methanethiol-Laden Waste Gas Stream Using a Combined Bioreactor System

Abstract

Abstract A bioreactor system consisting of a biotrickling filter and a bioscrubber united by nutrition liquid circulation was designed and used to treat methanethiol (MeSH), a common volatile organic compound produced in the petroleum industry. Chryseobacterium sp. JLL was added to the bioreactor to remove low-concentration MeSH. Results showed that the start-up and biofilm formation in the new bioreactor were much faster than those in the traditional deodorization bioreactor. Degradation of MeSH took place simultaneously in biotrickling filter and bioscrubbers of the combined bioreactor system after biofilm was formed. The optimized empty-bed residence time was found to be 60 s in the bioreactor. Under such a condition, the maximum MeSH elimination capacity was 50.8 g m−3 h−1, of which about 8–9 g m−3 h−1 was undertaken by the bioscrubbers and the rest removed by the biotrickling filter. The combined bioreactor system proved to be stable and durable in removal of MeSH-laden waste gas, showing its potenti...