Performance of a biofilter for the removal of high concentrations of styrene under steady and non-steady state conditions

The performance of a laboratory scale perlite biofilter inoculated with a mixed culture was evaluated for gas phase styrene removal under various operating conditions. Experiments were carried out by subjecting the biofilter to different flow rates (0.15–0.9 m3 h−1) and concentrations (0.03–17.3 g m−3), corresponding to inlet loading rates varying from as low as 3 g m−3 h−1 to as high as 1390 g m−3 h−1. A maximum elimination capacity (EC) of 382 g m−3 h−1 was achieved at an inlet loading rate of 464 g m−3 h−1 with a removal efficiency of 82%. The high elimination capacity reached with this system could have been due to the dominant presence of filamentous fungi among others. The impact of relative humidity (RH) (30%, 60% and >92%) on the biofilter performance was evaluated at two constant loading rates, viz., 80 and 260 g m−3 h−1, showing that inhibitory effects were only significant when combining the highest loads with the lowest relative humidities. Biomass distribution, moisture content and concentration profiles along the bed height were significantly dependent on the relative humidity of the inlet air and on the loading rate. The dynamic behaviour of the biofilter through vigorous short and long-term shock loads was tested at different process conditions. The biofilter was found to respond apace to rapid changes in loading conditions. The stability of the biomass within the reactor was apparent from the fast response of the biofilter to recuperate and handle intermittent shutdown and restart operations, either with or without nutrient addition.