Performance of Mesophilic Biofilter for the Treatment of Ethyl Benzene Polluted Air: Effect of Process Parameters

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Natarajan, Rajamohan | Al-Sinani, Jamila | Viswanathan, Saravanan

Affiliations: Faculty of Engineering, Sohar University, Sohar, Oman | Department of Chemical Engineering, Annamalai University, India

Note: [] Corresponding Author. E-mail: natrajmohan@gmail.com

Abstract: The removal of ethyl benzene in a laboratory scale biofilter was investigated using a mixed microbial culture immobilized on a tree bark and proflex media based biofilter. The effect of operating variables namely inlet VOC concentration and flow rate were studied in the range of 1.0-4.0 g/m^3 and 0.25-1.0 m^3/h. The maximum removal efficiency of ethyl benzene attained was 98% with an initial concentration of 1.0 g/m^3 and Empty Bed Residence Time of 282 s. Increasing the inlet ethyl benzene concentration and the air flow rate reduced the removal performance of the biofilter. A maximum elimination capacity of 130.5 g/m^3/h was achieved under optimal conditions. Temperature variation of approximately 4.4°C was observed during the entire biofiltration period confirming the exothermic nature of bio-reaction. Maximum carbon dioxide production of 310.1 g/m^3/h was recorded when the maximum elimination capacity was achieved.

Keywords: Biofilter, ethyl benzene, volatile organics

Journal: Asian Journal of Water, Environment and Pollution, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 29-35, 2015