K. Kirchner et al., REMOVAL OF ORGANIC AIR-POLLUTANTS FROM EXHAUST-GASES IN THE TRICKLE-BED BIOREACTOR - EFFECT OF OXYGEN, Applied microbiology and biotechnology, 45(3), 1996, pp. 415-419
The paper describes some reaction engineering fundamentals of the sepa
ration of organic air pollutants (volatile organic compounds) from was
te gases using fixed-bacteria monocultures (biocatalysts) in a trickle
-bed reactor. In particular the influence of pollutant concentration a
nd oxygen concentration are investigated. The separation efficiency of
certain substances such as acetone and isopropanol depends strongly o
n the oxygen concentration. The results obtained can be described by a
mathematical model based on the diffusion of oxygen into the biofilm
(diffusion regime of the catalyst). The non-stationary operation of th
e reactor-interruption of the oxygen stream and strong fluctuation in
the exhaust gas stream-showed that other components such as propionald
ehyde and n-propanol could be eliminated for a certain time without ox
ygen. Propionic acid is formed.