Biofiltration of pyridine by Shewanella putrefaciens in a corn-cob packed biotrickling filter

Abstract

In this study, a new strain of microorganism Shewanella putrefaciens was used for biofiltration of a pyridine laden air stream in a corn-cob packed biotrickling filter. In the biotrickling filter tested with S. putrefaciens, the maximum removal of pyridine is determined to be 100% at less than the average inlet concentration of 0.653 g m-3 and more than 93% at a higher average inlet concentration of 1.748 g m-3 (phase VIII) with an empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 106 s. However, when the biotrickling filter was operated at a low EBRT of 53 s and almost the same average inlet concentration of 1.752 g m-3 (phase VII), the removal level attained was not greater than 85%. The maximum elimination capacity (EC) of the biotrickling filter was 102.34 g m-3h-1 at an inlet pyridine load of 119.62 g m-3h-1 with an EBRT of 53 s in phase VII. The maximum deviation of the EC from the 100% conversion line varied from 0.257 to 10.166% when going from phase I to VIII. Kinetic analysis showed that the maximum removal rate, rmax, and saturation constant, Ks, values for pyridine were calculated as 0.24 g m-3h-1 and 6.44 g m-3, respectively, with a correlation coefficient, R2, of 0.9939 and a standard deviation of error of 23.94%. The information contained herein indicates that the corn-cob packed biotrickling filter inoculated by S. putrefaciens should provide excellent performance in the removal of gaseous pyridine. © 2008 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.