Biological Air Treatment Research Articles

Biological vapor‐phase treatment using biofilter and biotrickling filter reactors: Practical operating regimes

AbstractThe biological treatment of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and air toxics has received increased attention in recent years. Biotreatment of air‐borne contaminants offers an inexpensive alternative to conventional air treatment technologies such as carbon adsorption and incineration. Most biological air treatment technologies commercially available are fixed‐film systems that rely on growth of a biofilm layer on an inert organic support such as compost or peat (biofilters), or an inorganic support such as ceramic or plastic (biotrickling filters). If designed properly, these systems combine the advantages of high biomass concentration with high specific surface area for mass transfer.At economically viable vapor residence times (1 to 1.5 minutes), biofilters can be used for treating vapor streams containing up to approximately 1500 μg/L of readily biodegradable compounds. Biotrickling filters may offer greater performance than biofilters at high contaminant loadings, possibly due to higher internal biomass concentrations. Both systems are best suited for treating vapor streams containing one or two major compounds. If designed properly, biofilters are especially well suited for treating streams that vary in concentration from minute to minute.