REMOVAL OF ORGANIC AIR-POLLUTANTS FROM EXHAUST-GASES IN THE TRICKLE-BED BIOREACTOR - EFFECT OF OXYGEN

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.