Abstract
This study reports the biodegradation of carbon disulfide (CS2) in air biofilters packed with a pelletized mixture of composted manure and sawdust. Experiments were carried out in two lab-scale (1.2 L) biofiltration units. Biofilter B was seeded with activated sludge enriched previously on CS2-degrading biomass under batch conditions, while biofilter A was left as a negative inoculation control. This inoculum was characterized by an acidic pH and sulfate accumulation, and contained Achromobacter xylosoxidans as the main putative CS2 biodegrading bacterium. Biofilter operation start-up was unsuccessfully attempted under xerophilic conditions and significant CS2 elimination was only achieved in biofilter A upon the implementation of an intermittent irrigation regime. Sustained removal efficiencies of 90–100 % at an inlet load of up to 12 g CS2 m−3 h−1 were reached. The CS2 removal in this biofilter was linked to the presence of the chemolithoautotrophic bacterium Thiobacillus thioparus, known among the relatively small number of species with a reported capacity of growing on CS2 as the sole energy source. DGGE molecular profiles confirmed that this microbe had become dominant in biofilter A while it was not detected in samples from biofilter B. Conventional biofilters packed with inexpensive organic materials are suited for the treatment of low-strength CS2 polluted gases (IL <12 g CS2 m−3 h−1), provided that the development of the adequate microorganisms is favored, either upon enrichment or by inoculation. The importance of applying culture-independent techniques for microbial community analysis as a diagnostic tool in the biofiltration of recalcitrant compounds has been highlighted.
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This research has been carried out with the financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MICINN CTM2012-35565). Technical and human support provided by SGIker for SEM analysis is gratefully acknowledged.
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Prenafeta-Boldú, F.X., Rojo, N., Gallastegui, G. et al. Role of Thiobacillus thioparus in the biodegradation of carbon disulfide in a biofilter packed with a recycled organic pelletized material. Biodegradation 25, 557–568 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-014-9681-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10532-014-9681-6