Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters

The removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) from air was investigated in two similar biotrickling filters (BTFs) packed with polyurethane (PU) foam, differing in terms of inoculation procedure (BTF A was packed with pre-incubated PU discs, and BTF B was inoculated via the contin...

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Main Authors: Piotr Rybarczyk, Krzysztof Cichon, Karolina Kucharska, Dominik Dobrzyniewski, Bartosz Szulczyński, Jacek Gębicki
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-09-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/18/4431
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author Piotr Rybarczyk
Krzysztof Cichon
Karolina Kucharska
Dominik Dobrzyniewski
Bartosz Szulczyński
Jacek Gębicki
author_facet Piotr Rybarczyk
Krzysztof Cichon
Karolina Kucharska
Dominik Dobrzyniewski
Bartosz Szulczyński
Jacek Gębicki
author_sort Piotr Rybarczyk
collection DOAJ
description The removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) from air was investigated in two similar biotrickling filters (BTFs) packed with polyurethane (PU) foam, differing in terms of inoculation procedure (BTF A was packed with pre-incubated PU discs, and BTF B was inoculated via the continuous recirculation of a liquid inoculum). The effects of white rot fungi enzyme extract addition and system responses to variable VOC loading, liquid trickling patterns, and pH were studied. Positive effects of both packing incubation and enzyme addition on biotrickling filtration performance were identified. BFF A exhibited a shorter start-up period (approximately 20 days) and lower pressure drop (75 ± 6 mm H<sub>2</sub>O) than BTF B (30 days; 86 ± 5 mm H<sub>2</sub>O), indicating the superior effects of packing incubation over inoculum circulation during the biotrickling filter start-up. The novel approach of using white rot fungi extracts resulted in fast system recovery and enhanced process performance after the BTF acidification episode. Average BTEX elimination capacities of 28.8 ± 0.4 g/(m<sup>3</sup> h) and 23.1 ± 0.4 g/(m<sup>3</sup> h) were reached for BTF A and BTF B, respectively. This study presents new strategies for controlling and improving the abatement of BTEX in biotrickling filters.
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spelling doaj-art-53b54320d4ab45819da31b80bc0b8f852025-08-20T01:55:42ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492024-09-012918443110.3390/molecules29184431Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling FiltersPiotr Rybarczyk0Krzysztof Cichon1Karolina Kucharska2Dominik Dobrzyniewski3Bartosz Szulczyński4Jacek Gębicki5Department of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandWaste Utilization Facility Ltd. in Gdańsk, Jabłoniowa 55 Street, 80-180 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandDepartment of Process Engineering and Chemical Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12 Street, 80-233 Gdańsk, PolandThe removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) from air was investigated in two similar biotrickling filters (BTFs) packed with polyurethane (PU) foam, differing in terms of inoculation procedure (BTF A was packed with pre-incubated PU discs, and BTF B was inoculated via the continuous recirculation of a liquid inoculum). The effects of white rot fungi enzyme extract addition and system responses to variable VOC loading, liquid trickling patterns, and pH were studied. Positive effects of both packing incubation and enzyme addition on biotrickling filtration performance were identified. BFF A exhibited a shorter start-up period (approximately 20 days) and lower pressure drop (75 ± 6 mm H<sub>2</sub>O) than BTF B (30 days; 86 ± 5 mm H<sub>2</sub>O), indicating the superior effects of packing incubation over inoculum circulation during the biotrickling filter start-up. The novel approach of using white rot fungi extracts resulted in fast system recovery and enhanced process performance after the BTF acidification episode. Average BTEX elimination capacities of 28.8 ± 0.4 g/(m<sup>3</sup> h) and 23.1 ± 0.4 g/(m<sup>3</sup> h) were reached for BTF A and BTF B, respectively. This study presents new strategies for controlling and improving the abatement of BTEX in biotrickling filters.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/18/4431biotrickling filtrationair treatmentBTEXfungi extractsinoculation patternprocess performance
spellingShingle Piotr Rybarczyk
Krzysztof Cichon
Karolina Kucharska
Dominik Dobrzyniewski
Bartosz Szulczyński
Jacek Gębicki
Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters
Molecules
biotrickling filtration
air treatment
BTEX
fungi extracts
inoculation pattern
process performance
title Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters
title_full Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters
title_fullStr Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters
title_full_unstemmed Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters
title_short Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters
title_sort packing incubation and addition of rot fungi extracts improve btex elimination from air in biotrickling filters
topic biotrickling filtration
air treatment
BTEX
fungi extracts
inoculation pattern
process performance
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/29/18/4431
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AT karolinakucharska packingincubationandadditionofrotfungiextractsimprovebtexeliminationfromairinbiotricklingfilters
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