Removal of Propylene and Butylene as Individual Compounds with Compost and Wood Chip Biofilters

Figures & data

Figure 1. Experimental setup.

Table 1. Biofilter media characteristics

Characteristic	Compost Media	Hard Wood-Chip Media
Source/composition	Landscaping waste (80–90% post oak leaves, with the rest grass trimmings and other leaves)	Mostly hickory, with some oak and pine
Size	1.5-mm average dimension (roughly cubical)	Width and length ranging from 0.3 to 2.2 cm and 2.6 to 5 cm, respectively
Bulk density (g/cm^3)	0.5	0.2
Porosity	0.91	0.86
Moisture content	17.4%	11.6%

Figure 2. Propylene elimination capacity vs. inlet mass loading.

Figure 3. Butylene elimination capacity vs. inlet mass loading.

Table 2. Microorganisms in fresh compost media

Colony Number	Microorganism	Type	CFU/g	Percent of CFUs
1	Bacillus mojavensis (Bacillus licheniformis)	B	9.3×10^7	84.5
2	Streptomyces althioticus	AC	9.3×10^6	8.5
3	Bacillus firmus	B	5.6×10^6	4.2
4	Bacillus amyloliquefaciens	B	2.8×10^6	2.1
5	Paenibacillus lautus (Paenibacillus ginsengagri ^a )	B	9.3×10^5	0.8
6	Bacillus barbaricus (Bacillus arsenicus ^a )	B	7.4×10^5	0.7
7	Pseudomonas resinovorans (Pseudomonas species ^a )	B	3.7×10^5	0.3
8	Pseudomonas resinovorans (Pseudomonas species ^a )	B	1.9×10^4	0.02
Total			1.1×10^8
Notes: B = bacterium, F = fungus, AC = actinomycetes. ^aSpecies are an alternative identification resulting from a GenBank search.

Table 3. Microorganisms in fresh wood-chip media

Colony Number	Microorganism	Type	CFU/g	Percent of CFUs
1	Enterococcus durans	B	3.8×10^8	79.2
2	Nocardia brasiliensis	AC	9.6×10^7	20.0
3	Bacillus simplex	B	2.9×10^5	0.06
4	Bacillus oleronius	B	3.8×10^4	0.008
5	Bacillus megaterium	B	9.6×10^2	0.0002
6	Bacillus fusiformis	B	9.6	2 × 10^−6
Total			4.8×10^8
Notes: ^aSpecies are an alternative identification resulting from a GenBank search.

Table 4. Microorganisms in used compost and wood-chip media treating propylene

Colony Number	Microorganism	Type	CFU/g	Percent of CFUs
1	Brachybacterium nesterenkovii (Janibacter melonis ^a )	B	2.1×10^8	44.7
2	Sphingobacterium thalpophilum (Parapedobacter koreensis ^a )	B	1.1×10^8	23.4
3	Sphingobacterium multivorum (Sphingobacterium composti ^a )	B	1.1×10^8	23.4
4	Cellulomonas gelida (Promicromonospora species ^a )	B	2.1×10^7	4.5
5	Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida	B	7.4×10^6	1.6
6	Trichoderma aureoviride (could not be distinguished from Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma inhamatum, Trichoderma virens)	F	2.1×10^6	0.45
7	Streptomyces griseinus	AC	2.1×10^6	0.45
8	Microbacterium ketosireducens (Microbacterium species ^a )	B	2.1×10^6	0.45
9	Bordetella petrii	B	1.1×10^6	0.23
10	Trichoderma aureoviride (could not be distinguished from Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma inhamatum, Trichoderma virens)	F	2.1×10^5	0.04
11	Pseudomonas corrugate	B	1.1×10^5	0.02
12	Serratia marcescens	B	2.1×10^2	4.5 × 10^−5
Total			4.7×10^8
Notes:
^aSpecies are an alternative identification resulting from a GenBank search.

Table 5. Microorganisms in used compost and wood-chip media treating butylene

Colony Number	Microorganism	Type	CFU/g	Percent of CFUs
1	Bacillus megaterium	B	9.4×10^5	34.8
2	Rhodococcus koreensis	B	9.4×10^5	34.8
3	Streptomyces antibioticus (Streptomyces shandonggensis ^a)	AC	2.8×10^5	10.4
4	Bacillus barbaricus (Bacillus species^a)	B	1.9×10^5	7.0
5	Doratomyces stemonitis (Trichurus spiralis ^a)	F	9.4×10^4	3.5
6	Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus (Paenibacillus kobensis ^a)	B	9.4×10^4	3.5
7	Pseudallescheria ellipsoidea (Pseudallescheria boydii ^a)	F	9.4×10^4	3.5
8	Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (Luteimonas species^a)	B	9.4×10^4	3.5
9	Aspergillus versicolor	F	9.4×103	0.35
10	Chaetomium brasiliense (Chaetomium piluliferum ^a)	F	9.4×103	0.35
Total			2.7×10^6

Russell , A.G. , Milford , J. , Bergin , M.S. , McBride , S. , McNair , L. , Yang , Y. , Stockwell , W.R. and Croes , B. 1995 . Urban Ozone Control and Atmospheric Reactivity of Organic Gases . Science , 269 : 491 – 495 .

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