Biofilters for Reduction of Gaseous Emissions

Volatile organic carbon (VOC) and sulfur-containing compounds are quite prevalent in many shipboard and base operations, and create noxious odors and health hazards upon release to the environment. it is proposed to utilize the ability of microorganisms to completely mineralize these compounds using traditional and membrane-based biofiltration systems. Bacterial consortia will first be isolated and optimized for their ability to mineralize sulfur-containing compounds and VOCs including selected aromatics, aliphatic hydrocarbons, oxygenated solvents and halogenated compounds. This isolation procedure has been frequently used by BRI in the past to isolate bacteria capable of degrading toxic substances. Various biofilter designs, including traditional and membrane-based systems, will then be evaluated in the laboratory for the efficient and economical removal of the compounds. Finally, a preliminary process development study will be undertaken to identify parameters and design constraints for a Phase II demonstration, and to attract industrial collaborators.