Utilization of NOx from Combustion gases by biological processes. Preliminary study

Abstract

A biological system for the removal of NOx from flue gas was investigated using the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis. The experiments have been carried out in a labscale plant, consisting of an illuminated Erlenmeyer flask in which a mixture of NOx and air has been introduced from the bottom; the NOx excess going out from the plant was entrapped in an absorber, located at the top of the reactor. Under different conditions of gas feeeding, namely continuous or fedbatch pulsefeeding, the NOx removal efficiency was always >92% and scarcely influenced by the inoculum level (0.5- 1.0g I-1).