A Fundamental Study of Biofiltration Processes for VOC Removal From Waste Gas Streams

Abstract : Most volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are deemed carcinogenic, and some are precursors to ozone production. Large amounts of VOCs are emitted to the atmosphere from chemical industries, food processing industries, and waste management facilities. The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 has meant that control and removal of VOCs from contaminated gas streams have become of increasing concern in recent years. Biological treatment, especially biofiltration, has emerged as a promising air pollution control technology for VOC removal because of its cost-effectiveness for certain waste gas streams when compared with other conventional VOC control options. Biofiltration uses microorganisms to degrade various pollutants. A waste gas stream is purified by passage through a biologically active medium under aerobic conditions. As the waste gas moves through the biofilter, organic compounds pass into the biofllms surrounding the supporting medium and are oxidized into mineral end products or incorporated into the biomass. This report enhances understanding of fundamental of biofilter operation for air treatment through a bench-scale evaluation of a biotrickling filter. This report is a companion to ERDC/CERL TR-00-9, which provided fundamentals of the bioscrubber. This study will enable pilot-scale demonstration of new generation biofilter technology beginning in fiscal year 2002.