Chapter 24 - Biofiltration as a green technology for abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs): A synoptic review

Abstract

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are hazardous and carcinogenic air toxicants that have widespread adverse implications on the environment and human health, mitigation of which has become one of the dreaded challenges for mankind. Biofiltration provides a promising way for the elimination of such noxious wastes. In this method, a stream of polluted air containing VOCs is channeled to flow through a medium on which microorganisms are immobilized. The pollutants are adsorbed on the medium surface and are metabolized to innocuous products by the immobilized microorganisms. Biofiltration outweighs other conventional waste air treatment methods in terms of cost-effectiveness, eco-friendliness, user-friendliness, and reliability. In this chapter, we present a brief insight into the application of biofilters for mitigation of VOCs, their types, design considerations, mechanism of biofiltration, the influence of operational factors, challenges and limitations, and current state of research and implementation, research gaps, and future prospects.