Grantee Research Project Results
Innovative Biomass Control Technology for Biotrickling Filters for Waste Air Treatment
EPA Grant Number: R825392Title: Innovative Biomass Control Technology for Biotrickling Filters for Waste Air Treatment
Investigators: Deshusses, Marc , Cox, Huub H.J. , Wistrom, Anders O.
Current Investigators: Deshusses, Marc , Wistrom, Anders O.
Institution: University of California - Riverside
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: November 1, 1996 through October 31, 1998
Project Amount: $186,270
RFA: Exploratory Research - Air Engineering (1996) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Land and Waste Management , Air , Safer Chemicals
Description:
The main objective of this proposal is to develop a general strategy to control biomass growth in biotrickling filters for waste air treatment by engineering predation of the bacterial process culture by protozoa. The main advantage associated with the proposed technique is that long term stability will be obtained without reducing the reactor performance. This is not the case for other techniques that are currently in their early phases of investigation. The supporting objectives for reaching this goal are: 1) quantification of predator- prey relationships between protozoa and pollutant degrading bacteria, 2) development of strategies to enhance and control grazing of biofilms in biotrickling filters, and 3) demonstration and optimization of the developed strategies in bench-scale biotrickling filters. Experiments will be performed with shake flasks and both suspended and immobilized bacteria, and with bench-scale waste air biotrickling filters. Mathematical modeling of the process will be performed to better understand the observed phenomena. The results of the proposed work should allow for significant advances in biotrickling filter operation and in the demonstration of biotrickling filters as a reliable and cost effective technique for waste air treatment. Further, fouling or excessive biomass growth is a recognized problem not only in biotrickling filters for waste air treatment, hence, the strategies developed herein may prove useful for other applications.Publications and Presentations:
Publications have been submitted on this project: View all 20 publications for this projectJournal Articles:
Journal Articles have been submitted on this project: View all 8 journal articles for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
biomass, air, treatment, bacteria, waste, engineering, Scientific Discipline, Air, Environmental Chemistry, Engineering, Chemistry, & Physics, bacteria filtration, protozoa, biomass, biofilms, waste air treatment, pollutant degrading bacteria, mathematical formulationsRelevant Websites:
http://engr.ucr.edu/~mdeshuss Exit
Progress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.