Biological waste air and waste gas treatment: Overview, challenges, operational efficiency, and current trends

Abstract

International contracts to restrict emissions of climate-relevant gases, and thus global warming, also require a critical reconsideration of technologies for treating municipal, commercial, industrial, and agricultural waste gas emissions. A change from energy-and resource-intensive technologies, such as thermal post-combustion and adsorption, as well to low-emission technologies with high energy and resource efficiency, becomes mandatory. Biological processes already meet these requirements, but show restrictions in case of treatment of complex volatile organic compound (VOC) mixtures and space demand. Innovative approaches combining advanced oxidation and biofiltration processes seem to be a solution. In this review, biological processes, both as stand-alone technology and in combination with advanced oxidation processes, were critically evaluated in regard to technical, economical, and climate policy aspects, as well as present limitations and corresponding solutions to overcome these restrictions.