Skip to main content

Removal of Odours

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Biological Odour Treatment

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science ((BRIEFSENVIRONMENTAL))

  • 491 Accesses

Abstract

Odour treatment is a significant portion of the marketplace. Biofiltration is capable of biodegrading a wide variety of air contaminants. Current research and application of biofiltration has been focused on the removal of volatile organic compounds and air toxics from the industrial exhausts of chemical and other processes. Biofiltration of hydrogen sulphide has been studied extensively, because it is one of the most frequently produced odourous compounds in industrial processes such as petroleum refining, rendering, wastewater treatment, food processing and paper and pulp manufacturing. Removal of reduced sulphur (RS) compounds (either singly or as part of a mixture), and odourous volatile organic compounds, ammonia and hazardous air pollutants are presented in this chapter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Anit S, Artuz R (2000) Biofiltration of air. Rensselaer Institute. www.rensselaer.edu/dept/chem-eng/Biotech-Environ/MIS/biofilt/biofiltration.htm

  • Apel WA, Barnes JM, Barrett KB (1995) Biofiltration of nitrogen oxides from fuel combustion gas streams. In: Proceedings of 88th Annual Meeting of the Air and Waste Management Association, San Antonio, TX, 18–23 June 1995

    Google Scholar 

  • Bibeau L, Kiared K, Leroux A, Brzezinski R, Viel G, Heitz M (1997) Biological purification of exhaust air containing toluene vapor in a filter-bed reactor. Can J Chem Eng 75:921–929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Bo I, Langenhove HV, Heyman J (2002) Removal of dimethyl sulfide from waste air in a membrane bioreactor. Desalination 148:281–287

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bohn HL (1975) Soil and compost filters for malodorant gases. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 25:953–955

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brauer H (1986) Biological purification of waste gases. Int Chem Eng 26(3):387–395

    Google Scholar 

  • Brenna V (2000) Biofor: biofiltration of paper mill effluents. Ind Carta 38(5):59–63

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carlson DA, Leiser CP (1966) Soil bed for control of sewage odors. J Water Pollut Control Fed 38:829–833

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell HJ, Connor MA (1997) Practical experience with an industrial biofilter treating solvent vapor loads of varying magnitude and composition. Pure Appl Chem 69(11):2411–2424

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chan AA (2006) Attempted biofiltration of reduced sulfur compounds from a pulp and paper mill in Northern Sweden. Environ Prog 25:152–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cherry RS, Thompson DN (1997) Shift from growth to nutrient-limited maintenance kinetics during biofilter acclimation. Biotechnol Bioeng 56(3):330–339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cho KS, Hirai MI, Shoda M (1991) Degradation characteristics of hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide and dimethyl disulfide by Hyphomicrobium DW44 isolated from peat biofilter. J Fermen Bioeng 171:384–389

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cho KS, Hirai M, Shoda M (1992) Enhanced removability of odorous sulphur-containing gases by mixed cultures of purified bacteria from peat biofilters. J Ferment Bioeng 73:219

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Choi DS, Webster TS, Chankg AN, Devinny JS (1996) Quantitative structure–activity relationships for biofiltration of volatile organic compounds. In: Reynolds Jr FE (ed) Proceedings of 1996 conference on biofiltration. The Reynolds Group, Tustin, pp 231–238

    Google Scholar 

  • Christen P, Domenech F, Michelena G, Auria R, Revah S (2002) Biofiltration of volatile ethanol using sugar cane bagasse inoculated with Candida utilis. J Hazard Mater 89:253–265

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chung YC (2007) Evaluation of gas removal and bacterial community diversity in a biofilter developed to treat composting exhaust gases. J Hazard Mater 144:377–385

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chung YC, Cheng CY, Chen TY, Hsu JS, Kui CC (2010) Structure of the bacterial community in a biofilter during dimethyl sulfide (DMS) removal processes. Bioresour Technol 101:7176–7179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cloirec PL, Humeau P, Ramirez-Lopez EM (2001) Biotreatments of odours and performances of a biofilter and a bioscrubber. Water Sci Tech 44(9):219–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Cook LL, Gostomski PA, Apel WA (1999) Biofiltration of asphalt emissions: full-scale operation treating off-gases from polymer-modified asphalt production. Environ Prog 18:178

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darracq G, Couvert A, Couriol C, Amrane A, Cloriec PL (2010) Kinetics of toluene and sulfur compounds removal by means of an integrated process involving the coupling of absorption and biodegradation. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 85:1156–1161

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Degorce-Dumas JR, Kowal S, Le Cloirec P (1997) Microbiological oxidation of hydrogen sulphide in a biofilter. Can J Microbiol 43:264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deshusses MA (1997) Biological waste air treatment in biofilters. Curr Opin Biotechnol 8:335–339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Delhomenie MC, Heitz M (2005) Biofiltration of air: a review. Crit Rev Biotechnol 25:53–72

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deshusses MA, Hamer G, Dunn IJ (1995) Behavior of biofilters for waste air biotreatment. I: dynamic model development. Envir Sci Technol 29(4):1048–1058

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Deshusses MA, Johnson CT, Hohenstein GA, Leson G (1997) Treating high loads of ethyl acetate and toluene in a biofilter. In: Proceedings of the Air & Waste Management Association 90th annual meeting and exhibition, 8–13 June 1997, Toronto, Canada, p 13

    Google Scholar 

  • Furusawa N, Togashi I, Hirai M, Shoda M, Kubota H (1984) Removal of hydrogen sulfide by a biofilter with fibrous peat. J Ferment Technol 62(6):589–594

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gabriel D, Deshusses MA (2003) Retrofitting existing chemical scrubbers to biotrickling filters for H2S emission control. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:6308

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giri BS, Pandey RA (2013) Biological treatment of gaseous emissions containing dimethyl sulphide generated from pulp and paper industry. Bioresour Technol 142:420–427

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Giri BS, Mudliar SN, Deshmukh SC, Banerjee S, Pandey RA (2010) Treatment of waste gas containing low concentration of dimethyl sulphide (DMS) in a bench-scale biofilter. Biores Tech 101:2185–2190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goncalves JJ, Govind R (2010) Enhanced biofiltration using cell attachment promotors. Environ Sci Technol 43(4):1049–1054

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodwin JP, Amenta SA, Delo RC, Del Vecchio M, Pinnette JR, Pytlar TS (2000) Odor control advances at cocomposting facility. Biocycle 41:68

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Govind R, Melarkode R (1998) Pilot-scale test of the biotreatment of odors from ZimproTM sludge conditioning process, Report submitted to sanitation District No. 1, Fort Wright, KY, by PRD TECH, Inc., Florence, KY

    Google Scholar 

  • Govind R, Fang J, Melarkode R (1998) Biotrickling filter pilot study for ethanol emissions control, a report prepared for the food manufacturing coalition for innovation and technology transfer, by PRD TECH, Inc., Florence, KY

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirai M, Ohtake M, Soda M (1990) Removal of kinetics of hydrogen sulfide, methanethiol and dimethyl sulfide by peat biofilters. J Ferment Bioeng 70:334–339

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirai M, Terasawa M, Inamura I, Fujie K, Shoda M, Kubota H (1988) Biological removal of organosulfur compounds using peat biofilter. J Odor Res Eng 19:305–312

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodge DS, Devinny JS (1994) Biofilter treatment of ethanol vapors. Environ Progr 13(3):167–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hort C, Gracy S, Platel V, Moynault L (2009) Evaluation of sewage sludge and yard waste compost as a biofilter media for the removal of ammonia and volatile organic sulfur compounds (VOSCs). Chem Eng J 152:44–53

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hwang Y, Matsuo T, Hanaki K, Suzuki N (1995) Identification and quantification of sulfur and nitrogen containing odorous compounds in waste water. Water Res 29(2):711–718

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kasakura T, Tatsukawa K (1995) On the scent of a good idea for odour removal. Water Qual Int 2:24

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirchner K, Hauk G, Rehm HJ (1987) Exhaust gas purification using immobilized monocultures (biocatalyst). Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 26:579–587

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kosteltz AM, Finkelstein A, Sears G (1996) What are the ‘real opportunities’ in biological gas cleaning for North America? In: Proceedings of the 89th Annual Meeting and Exhibition of Air and Waste Management Association, A and WMA, Pittsburgh, PA; 96-RA87B.02

    Google Scholar 

  • Lau S, Groody K, Chan A (2006) Control of reduced sulphur and VOC emissions via biofiltration. Pulp Pap Can 107(12):57–63

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Leson G, Winer AM (1991) Biofiltration: an innovative air pollution control technology for VOC emissions. J Air Manag Assoc 41:1045–1054

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lee S-K, Shoda M (1989) Biological deodorization using activated carbon fabric as a carrier of microorganisms. J Ferment Bioeng 68(6):437–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luo J, van Oostrom A (1997) Biofilters for controlling animal rendering odor—a pilot-scale study. Pure Appl Chem 69(11):2403–2410

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luvsanjamba M, Sercu B, Peteghem JV, Langenhove HV (2008) Long-term operation of a thermophilic biotrickling filter for removal of dimethyl sulfide. Chem Eng J 142:248–255

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maestre JP, Gamisans X, Gabriel D, Lafuente J (2007) Fungal biofilters for toluene biofiltration: evaluation of the performance with four packing materials under different operating conditions. Chemosphere 67:684–692

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohseni M, Grant AD (1997) Biofiltration of α-pinene and its application to the treatment of pulp and paper air emissions. Tappi Environ Conf Exhib 2:587–592

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ottengraf SPP (1986) Exhaust gas purification. In: Schonborn W (vol ed), Rehm H-J, Reed G (series eds) Biotechnology (microbial degradations), vol 8, VCH, Weinheim, Chap. 12, 425–452

    Google Scholar 

  • Ottengraf SPP (1987) Biological system for waste gas elimination. Trends Biotechnol 5:132–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ottengraf SPP, Van Denoever AHC (1983) Kinetics of organic compound removal from waste gases with a biological filter. Biotechnol Bioeng 25:3089–3102

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ottengraf SPP, Meesters JPP, van den Oever AHC, Rozema HR (1986) Biological elimination of volatile xenobiotic compounds in biofilters. Bioprocess Eng 1:61–69

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park SJ, Hirai M, Shoda M (1993) Treatment of exhaust gases from a night soil treatment plant by a combined deodorization system of activated carbon fabric reactor and peat biofilter inoculated with Thiobacillus thioparus DW44. J Ferment Bioeng 76:423

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pomeroy D (1982) Biological treatment of odorous air. J Water Pollut Control Fed 54:1541–1545

    Google Scholar 

  • Prokop WH, Bohn HL (1985) Soil bed systems for control of rendering plant odors. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 35:1332–1338

    Google Scholar 

  • Qiao S, Fu L, Chi Y, Yan N (2008) Removal characteristics of hydrogen sulfide in biofilters with fibrous peat and resin. In: Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on bioinformatics and biomedical engineering, 2008. ICBBE 2008, pp 39963–39999

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruokojärvi A, Ruuskanen J, Martikainen PJ, Olkkonen M (2001) Oxidation of gas mixtures containing dimethyl sulfide, hydrogen sulfide, and methanethiol using a two-stage biotrickling filter. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 51:11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sercu B, Núñez D, Aroca G, Boon N, Verstraete W (2005a) Inoculation and start-up of a biotricking filter removing dimethyl sulfide. Chem Eng J 113:127–134

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sercu B, Núñez D, Van Langenhove H, Aroca G, Verstraete W (2005b) Operational and microbiological aspects of a two-stage biotrickling filter removing hydrogen sulfide and dimethyl sulfide. Biotechnol Bioeng 90:259

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sercu B, Peixoto J, Demeestere K, van Helst T, van Langenhove H (2006) Odors treatment: biological technologies. In: Nicolay X (ed) Odors in the food industry. Springer, Berlin, pp 125–158

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Shareefdeen Z, Baltzis BC (1994) Biofiltration of toluene vapor under steady-state and transient conditions-theory and experimental results. Chem Eng Sci 49:4347–4360

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shareefdeen Z, Herner B, Singh A (2005) Biotechnology for air pollution control—an overview. In: Shareefdeen Z, Singh A (eds) Biotechnology for odor and air pollution control. Springer, Berlin

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Shareefdeen Z, Baltzis BC, Oh YS, Bartha R (1993) Biofiltration of methanol vapor. Biotechnol Bioeng 41:512–524

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shimko IG, Spasov VA, Chinennaya SK, Zakirova RI, Tananina IN, Perchugor GY, Pavlova OI (1988) Biochemical methods of freeing gas–air mixture from sulfur containing compounds. Fiber Chem 19:373–378

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smet E, Van Langenhove H, Verstraete W (1996) Long-term stability of a biofilter treating dimethyl sulphide. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 46:191

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart WC, Thom RC (1997) High VOC loading in biofilters industrial applications. In: Emerging solutions VOC air toxics control: proceedings of a specialty conference sponsored by the Air & Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA, pp 38–65

    Google Scholar 

  • Tang HM, Hwang SJ, Hwang SC (1995) Dynamics of toluene degradation in biofilters. Hazard Waste Hazard Mater 12:207–219

    Google Scholar 

  • Thorsvold BR (2011) Biological odor control systems: a review of current and emerging technologies and their applicability. nfo.ncsafewater.org/shareddocuments/websitedocuments/annualconference/AC2011Papers/WW_T.pm_03.45_Thorsvold.pdf. Accessed 20 March 2014

    Google Scholar 

  • Tonga AP, Skladany GJ (1994) Field pilot-scale vapor-phase treatment of styrene using biofiltration. In: Flathman PE, Jerger DE, Exner JH (eds) Bioremediation: field experience. Lewis, Ann Arbor, pp 507–521

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Langenhove H, Wuyts E, Schamp N (1986) Elimination of hydrogen sulfide from odorous air by a wood bark biofilter. Water Res 20:1471–1476

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Van Langenhove H, Bendinger B, Oberthür R, Schamp W (1992) Organic sulfur compounds: persistant odourants in the biological treatment of complex waste gases. In: Dragt AJ, van Dam J (eds) Biotechniques for air pollution abatement and odour control policies. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 309–313

    Google Scholar 

  • Wada A, Shoda M, Kubota H, Kobayashi T, Katayama FY, Kuraishi H (1986) Characteristics of H2S oxidizing bacteria inhabiting a peat biofilter. J Ferment Technol 64:161–167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wani AH, Lau AK, Branion RMR (1999) Biofiltration control of pulping odors—hydrogen sulfide: performance, macrokinetics and coexistence effects of organo-sulfur species. J Chem Technol Biotechnol 74:9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wani AH, Branion RMR, Lau AK (2001) Biofiltration using compost and hog fuel as a means of removing reduced sulphur gases from air emissions. Pulp Paper Can 102(5):27–32

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei Z, Liu X, Ma C, He J, Huang Q (2013) Gas dimethyl sulfide removal in biotrickling filtration. Open Access Sci Rep 2:702 doi:10.4172/scientificreports.702

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu L, Loo YY, Koe LCC (2001) A pilot study of a biotricking filter for the treatment of odorous sewage air. Water Sci Technol 44:295

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Allen ER (1994a) Biofiltration control of hydrogen sulfide 1. Design and operational parameters. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 44:863–868

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang Y, Allen ER (1994b) Biofiltration control of hydrogen sulfide 2. Kinetics, biofilter performance, and maintenance. J Air Waste Manag Assoc 44:1315

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yudelson JM (1996) The future of the U.S. biofiltration industry. In Reynolds FE (ed) Proceedings of the 1996 conference on biofiltration (an air pollution control technology). The Reynolds Group, Tustin, p 1

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang L, Hirai M, Shoda M (1991) Removal characteristics of dimethyl sulfide, methanethiol and hydrogen sulfide by Hyphomicrobium sp. I55 isolated from peat biofilter. J Ferment Bioeng 72:392

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Liss SN, Allen DG (2007a) Enhancing and modeling the biofiltration of dimethyl sulfide under dynamic methanol addition. Chem Eng Sci 62:2474–2481

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Liss SN, Allen DG (2007b) Effects of methanol on pH and stability of inorganic biofilters treating dimethyl sulfide. Environ Sci Technol 41:3752–3757

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YF, Liss SN, Allen DG (2006) The effects of methanol on the biofiltration of dimethyl sulfide in inorganic biofilters. Biotechnol Bioeng 95:734–743

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang YF, Allen DG, Liss SN (2008) Modeling the biofiltration of dimethyl sulfide in the presence of methanol in inorganic biofilters at steady state. Biotechnol Prog 24:845–851

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zwart JMM, Kuenen JG (1997) Aerobic conversion of dimethyl sulfide and hydrogen sulfide by Methylophaga sulfidovorans: implications for modeling DMS conversion in a microbial mat. FEMS Microbiol Eco 22:155–165

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Pratima Bajpai .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bajpai, P. (2014). Removal of Odours. In: Biological Odour Treatment. SpringerBriefs in Environmental Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07539-6_5

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics