Trimethylamine (TMA) is a product of decomposition of living things and it has a strong odor. A biofilter (BF) packed with waste tire chip for reuse as a new media, and inoculated with activated sludge was tested for TMA removal. Gas-phase 0.024–0.036 g TMA m−3 was removed by up to 95% with empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 30 and 20 s, but the removal efficiency (RE) reduced to 80% at an EBRT of 15 s. For concentrations varying between 0.012 and 0.024 g TMA m−3 at an EBRT of 20 s, 95% of TMA was removed, which then decreased to as low as 80% for concentrations varying between 0.049 and 0.056 g m−3. As a result, the RE of TMA in the BF was found to be a strong function of both concentration and EBRT. The critical elimination capacity (EC) point of TMA was inlet loading rate (ILR) of 5 g m−3 h−1 and the maximum EC was determined to be 14 g m−3 h−1 at an ILR of 23 g m−3 h−1. It was concluded that tire chips can be effectively used as a biofilm support material in BFs where the REs for TMA can be most greatly achieved at lower loading rate during relatively longer reaction time period.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
ACGIH. 1991. Documentation of the Threshold Limit Values and Biological Exposure Indices. 6th. Cincinnati, OH: American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists.
2.
AnthonisenA.C., LoehrR.C., PrakasamT.B.S., SrinathE.G.1976. Inhibition of nitrification by ammonia and nitrous acid. J. Water Pollut. Control. Fed., 48:835.
3.
AnthonyC.1975. The biochemistry of methylotrophic micro-organisms. Sci. Prog. Oxf., 62:167.
4.
APHA. 1999. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 20th. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association.
5.
BohnH.1992. Consider biofiltration for decontaminating gases. Chem. Eng. Prog., 88:35.
6.
BurgessJ.E., ParsonsS.A., StuetzR.M.2001. Development in odour control and waste gas treatment biotechnology: a review. Biotechnol. Adv., 19:35.
7.
CaoN.J., DuJ.X.1997. Production of fumaric acid by immobilized Rhizopus using rotary biofilm contactor. Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol., 63:387.
8.
ChangC.T., ChenY., ShiuI.S., JengF.T.2004. Biofiltration of trimethylamine-containing waste gas by entrapped mixed microbial cells. Chemosphere, 55:751.
9.
CocciaS.P., SaimonaM.1988. Liver DNA alkylation after a single carcinogenic dose of dimethylnitrosamine to newborn and adult CFW Swiss mice. Chem. Biol. Interact., 68:259.
DevinnyJ.S., DeshussesM.A., WebsterT.S.1999. Biofiltration for Air Pollution Control. New York: Lewis Publishers.
12.
DeshussesM.A., JohnsonC.T.2000. Development and validation of a simple protocol to rapidly determine the performance of biofilters for VOC treatment. Environ. Sci. Technol., 34:461.
13.
DingY., ShiJ.Y., WuW.X., YinJ., ChenY.X.2007. Trimethylamine (TMA) biofiltration and transformation in biofilters. J. Hazard. Mater., 143:341.
14.
DingY., WuW.X., HanZ.Y., ChenY.X.2008. Correlation of reactor performance and bacterial community composition during the removal of trimethylamine in three-stage biofilters. Biochem. Eng. J., 38:248.
15.
EliasA., BaronaA., ArreguyA., RiosJ., AranguizI., PenasJ.2002. Evaluation of a packing material for the biodegradation of H2S and product analysis. Process Biochem., 37:813.
16.
HathawayG.J., ProctorN.H., HughesJ.P., FischmanM.L.1991. Proctor and Hughes' Chemical Hazards of the Workplace. 3rd. New York, NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold.
17.
HoK.L., ChungY.C., TsengC.P.2008. Continuous deodorization and bacterial community analysis of a biofilter treating nitrogen-containing gases from swine waste storage pits. Bioresour. Technol., 99:2757.
18.
KennesC., ThalassoF.1998. Waste gas biotreatment technology. J. Chem. Biotechnol., 72:303.
19.
KimS.G., BaeH.S., LeeS.T.2001. A novel denitrifying bacterial isolate that degrades trimethylamine both aerobically and anaerobically via two different pathways. Arch. Microbiol., 176:271.
20.
KimS.G., LeeS.T.1996. Biodeodorization of trimethylamine by earthworm cast bioflter. J. KORRA, 4:71.
21.
LesonG., WinerA.M.1991. Biofiltration: an innovative air pollution control technology for VOC emissions. J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 41:1045.
22.
LiffourrenaA.S., SalvanoM.A., LucchesiG.I.2010. Pseudomonas putida A ATCC 12633 oxidizes trimethylamine aerobically via two different pathways. Arch. Microbiol., 192:471.
23.
LoboN., RebeloA., PartidarioP.J., RoseiroJ.C.1997. A bubble column continuous fermentation system for trimethylamine conversion by Aminobacter aminovorans. Enzyme Microb. Technol., 21:191.
24.
MartinG.T., LoehrR.C.1996. Effect of periods of non-use on biofilter performance. J. Air Waste Manage. Assoc., 46:539.
25.
MitchW.A., SharpJ.O., TrussellR.R., ValentineR.L., Alvarez-CohenL., SedlakD.L.2003. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) as a drinking water contaminant: a review. Environ. Eng. Sci., 20:389.
26.
MurrayC.K., GibsonD.M.1972. An investigation of the method of determining trimethylamine in muscle extracts by the formation of its picrate salt-part. Food Technol., 7:35.
27.
ParkD., LeeD.S., JoungJ.Y., ParkJ.M.2005. Comparison of different bioreactor systems for indirect H2S removal using iron-oxidizing bacteria. Process Biochem., 40:1461.
28.
ParkJ.S., KimH.G.1979. Bioassays on marine organisms III. Acute toxicity test of mercury, copper cadmium and to Yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradianta and Rock bream, Oplegnathus fasciatus. Bull. Korean Fish. Soc., 12:119.
29.
SandbergM., AhringB.K.1992. Anaerobic treatment of fish meal process waste-water in a UASB reactor at high pH. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 36:800.
30.
SongJ.H., KinneyK.A.2005. Microbial response and elimination capacity in biofilters subjected to high toluene loadings. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 68:554.
31.
TurkO., MavinicD.S.1989. Stability of nitrite build-up in an activated sludge system. J. Water Pollut. Control Fed., 61:1440.
32.
WanS., LiG., ZuL., AnT.2011. Purification of waste gas containing high concentration trimethylamine in biotrickling filter inoculated with B350 mixed microorganisms. Bioresour. Technol., 102:6757.
