Biofiltration of air polluted with toluene under steady-state conditions: Experimental observations

In this study, we describe the removal of toluene vapors in a pilot scale biofilter. Biofiltration tests have been performed in a column fed upward with contaminated air at ambient conditions. The column was packed with a mixture of conditioned biomass and structuring agent on which a mixed microbial population of four selected strains was immobilized and then formed a biolayer. The biofilter was operated under various inlet-airstream toluene concentrations and flow rates of the contaminated airstream. Based on the present measurements, the biofilter proved effective in removing toluene at rates up to 165 g.h(-1).m(-3) of packing. The effect of some design and operation parameters (concentration of nutrients solution, presence of xylene, gas flow rate, pressure drop, temperature, etc.) are reported.