Dynamic performance of a fungal biofilter packed with perlite for the abatement of hexane polluted gas streams using SIFT-MS and packing characterization with advanced X-ray spectroscopy.

Dynamic performance of a fungal biofilter packed with perlite for the abatement of hexane polluted gas streams using SIFT-MS and packing characterization with advanced X-ray spectroscopy.
Chemosphere. 2020 Aug;253:126684
Authors: Bruneel J, Huepe Follert JL, Laforce B, Vincze L, Van Langenhove H, Walgraeve C
Abstract
The use of Fusarium solani fungi in an expanded perlite packed biofilter was investigated for the treatment of a hexane polluted waste gas stream using selected ion flow tube mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). The latter analytical technique proved to be of utmost importance to evaluate the performance of the biofilter at high time resolution (seconds) under various transient conditions, analogous to industrial situations. The biofilter was operational for 277 days with inlet loads varying between 1 and 14 g m-3 h-1 and applying an empty bed residence time of 116 s. The results showed a positive behaviour of the biofilter against different types of disruptions such as: (i) changes in the relative humidity of the inlet gas, (ii) stopping the carbon supply for 1, 5 and 10 days, (iii) varying the inlet hexane concentration (step increases and intermittent pulses) and (iv) limiting the availability of nutrients. X-ray imaging (both conventional 2D μCT and X-ray fluorescence, XRF) was applied for the first time on biofilter media in order to get insight in the internal structure of expanded perlite and to visualise the biomass ...

Source: Chemosphere - May 30, 2020 Category: Chemistry Authors: Bruneel J, Huepe Follert JL, Laforce B, Vincze L, Van Langenhove H, Walgraeve C Tags: Chemosphere Source Type: research