Effect of starvation on the performance of a biotrickling filter packed with diatomaceous earth composite fillers for xylene removal

The continuous operation of a biotrickling filter (BTF) is difficult to guarantee in industrial applications. Herein, BTF packed with diatomaceous earth-based composite fillers was investigated to treat xylene under the operating conditions of complete shutdown and nutrient deficiency. The BTF experienced complete shutdown (4 h, 8 h, 12 h, 16 h, 20 h, 2 d, and 7 d), and the removal efficiency recovered completely within 1 d of operation. The performance of the BTF was not significantly affected by 87 d of complete shutdown or 43 d of nutrient deficiency. High-throughput sequencing revealed that the diatomaceous earth-based composite filler could provide a good living environment for microorganisms and maintain microbial activity during starvation stages. The results show that the diatomaceous earth-based composite filler has great resistance to starvation.