Biological treatment of mixtures of toluene and n-hexane vapours in a hollow fibre membrane bioreactor

Membrane bioreactors are gaining interest for the control of contaminated air streams. In this study, the removal of toluene and n-hexane vapours in a hollow fibre membrane bioreactor (HFMB) was investigated. The focus was on quantifying the possible interactions occurring during the simultaneous bi...

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Veröffentlicht in:Environmental technology. - 1993. - 32(2011), 5-6 vom: 01. Apr., Seite 617-23
1. Verfasser: Zhao, Kang (VerfasserIn)
Weitere Verfasser: Xiu, Guangli, Xu, Lihang, Zhang, Danian, Zhang, Xiaofeng, Deshusses, Marc A
Format: Aufsatz
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: 2011
Zugriff auf das übergeordnete Werk:Environmental technology
Schlagworte:Journal Article Air Pollutants Hexanes Sewage n-hexane 2DDG612ED8 Toluene 3FPU23BG52
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:Membrane bioreactors are gaining interest for the control of contaminated air streams. In this study, the removal of toluene and n-hexane vapours in a hollow fibre membrane bioreactor (HFMB) was investigated. The focus was on quantifying the possible interactions occurring during the simultaneous biotreatment of the two volatile pollutants. Two lab-scale units fitted with microporous polypropylene hollow fibre membranes were connected in series and inoculated with activated sludge. Contaminated air was passed through the lumen at gas residence times ranging from 2.3 to 9.4 s while a pollutant-degrading biofilm developed on the shell side of the fibres. When toluene was treated alone, very high elimination capacities (up to 750 g m(-3) h(-1) based on lumen volume, or 1.25 g m(-2) h(-1) when normalized by the hollow fibre membrane area) were reached. When toluene and hexane were treated simultaneously, toluene biodegradation was partially inhibited by n-hexane, resulting in lower toluene removal rates. On the other hand, hexane removal was only marginally affected by the presence of toluene and was degraded at very high rates (upwards of 440 g m(-3) h(-1) or 0.73 g m(-2) h(-1) without breakthrough). Overall, this study demonstrates that mixtures of toluene and n-hexane vapours can be effectively removed in hollow fibre membrane bioreactors and that complex biological interactions may affect one or more of the pollutants undergoing treatment in gas-phase membrane bioreactors
Beschreibung:Date Completed 05.10.2011
Date Revised 21.11.2013
published: Print
Citation Status MEDLINE
ISSN:1479-487X