Dimethyl sulfide biofiltration using immobilized Hyphomicrobium VS and Thiobacillus thioparus TK-m in sugarcane bagasse

Abstract

Sugarcane bagasse was used as a carrier material of microorganisms in two different biofilters used to remove dimethyl sulfide (DMS) from a gas stream. The first biofilter was inoculated with Hyphomicrobium VS and the second with Thiobacillus thioparus Tk-m. During the operation of the biofilters the empty bed residence time (EBRT) was varied from 90 to 180 seconds and the inlet concentration of DMS from 12 to 50 ppmv. The inlet load was varied in the range of 0.62 to 5.2 (g DMS/m³ h). The maximum elimination capacity (EC) of the biofilter inoculated with Hyphomicrobium VS was 5 g DMS/m³ h; however, for the biofilter inoculated with T. thioparus Tk-m the maximum EC was 3.9 g DMS/m³ h. For T. thioparus TK-m the maximum removal efficiency (RE) obtained was 85.1±5.2% at 12 ppmv DMS inlet concentration, inlet load of 0.62 g DMS/m ³ h and 180 s EBRT. The highest removal efficiency for Hyphomicrobium VS was 97.6±4.8% at 12 ppmv DMS inlet concentration, load of 0.62 g DMS/m ³h and 180 s EBRT.

Keywords:

• dimethyl sulfide
• Thiobacillus thioparus TK-m
• Hyphomicrobium VS
• biofilter
• sugarcane bagasse

Acknowledgements

The authors want to acknowledge the financial support given by the Alfa BIOPROAM Project: Bioprocess: Clean Technologies for the protection and viability of the environment, Contract no. AML/190901/06/18414/II -0548 –FC-FA and to the EnVOC Research Group, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Belgium.