RESUMO
Recent studies have focused on using vapor-phase bioreactors for the treatment of volatile organic compounds from contaminated air streams. Although high removal capacities have been achieved in many studies, long-term operation is often unstable at high pollutant loadings due to biomass accumulation and drying of the packing medium. In this study, three bench-scale bioreactors were operated to determine the effect of packing material and fungal predation on toluene removal efficiency and pressure drop. Toluene elimination capacities (mass toluene removed per unit packing per unit time) above 100 g m(-3) h(-1) were obtained in the fungal bioreactors packed with light-weight, artificial medium, and submersion of the packing in mineral medium once per week was found to provide sufficient moisture and nutrients to the biofilm. The use of mites as fungal predators improved performance by increasing the overall mineralization of toluene to CO(2), and by dislodging biomass along the bioreactor.
Assuntos
Poluentes Atmosféricos/metabolismo , Reatores Biológicos , Filtração/instrumentação , Ácaros/fisiologia , Tolueno/metabolismo , Óxido de Alumínio/química , Animais , Ascomicetos/metabolismo , Biodegradação Ambiental , Biomassa , Interações Hospedeiro-Parasita , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Ácaros/ultraestrutura , Poliuretanos/química , Dióxido de Silício/químicaRESUMO
The effects of relative humidity, temperature, pH and vapor-phase toluene concentration on Tyrophagus putrescentiae growth on Cladophialophora sp. were tested in controlled environmental chambers. It was observed that the mites were able to reproduce readily at relative humidities between 90% and 97% as well as on porous perlite support material pre-soaked in nutrient media of pH 2.5, 4 and 7. Also, the presence of toluene at gas-phase concentrations of 500 to 2000 mg m(-3) was found to be non-toxic to the mites. The mites, however, were unable to maintain a large population when the temperature was maintained at 14 degrees C, and overpopulation of the living space led to declines in mite population over time. Overall, it was found to be relatively simple to cultivate mites that may be used for fungal biomass control measures in biofilter applications.
