Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A pilot field-scale study on biotrickling filter treatment of NH3-containing odorous gases from organic waste composting plants

  • Published:
Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The use of a biotrickling filter was investigated for a pilot field-scale elimination of NH3 gas and other odorous gases from a composting plant in Tongzhou District, Beijing. The inlet gas flow rate was 3500 m3/h and NH3 concentration fluctuated between 2.76–27.84 mg/m3, while the average outlet concentration was 1.06 mg/m3 with an average of 94.9% removal. Critical volumetric loading (removal efficiency=100%) was 11.22 g-N/(m3·h). The odor concentration removal was 86.7%. NH3 removal efficiency decreased as the free ammonia (FA) in the trickling liquid increased. The pressure drop was maintained at about 50 Pa/m and was never more than 55 Pa/m. During the experiment, there was neither backflushing required nor any indication of clogging. Overall, the biotrickling filter was highly efficient and cost-effective for the simultaneous biodegradation of NH3 and other odorous gases from composting, suggesting the possibility of treating odorous gases at the industrial level.

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

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anthonisen, A.C., Loehr, R.C., Prakasam, T., Srinath, E.G., 1976. Inhibition of nitrification by ammonia and nitrous acid. Journal of Water Pollution Control Federation, 48(5):835–852.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chang, K., Lu, C., 2003. Biofiltration of isopropyl alcohol and acetone mixtures by a trickle-bed air biofilter. Process Biochemistry, 39(4):415–423. [doi:10.1016/S0032-9592(03)00096-7]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chou, M., Huang, J., 1997. Treatment of methylethylketone in air stream by biotrickling filters. Journal of Environmental Engineering, 123(6):569–576. [doi:10.1061/(ASCE)0733-9372(1997)123:6(569)]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chou, M., Wang, C., 2007. Treatment of ammonia in air stream by biotrickling filter. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 7(1):17–32.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chung, Y., Lin, Y., Tseng, C., 2005. Removal of high concentration of NH3 and coexistent H2S by biological activated carbon (BAC) biotrickling filter. Bioresource Technology, 96(16):1812–1820. [doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2005.01.003]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cox, H.H.J., Deshusses, M.A., 1999. Biomass control in waste air biotrickling filters by protozoan predation. Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 62(2):216–224. [doi:10.1002/(SICI)1097-0290(19990120)62:2<216::AID-BIT12>3.0.CO;2-4]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Deshusses, M.A., Webster, T.S., 2000. Construction and economics of a pilot/full-scale biological trickling filter reactor for the removal of volatile organic compounds from polluted air. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 50(11):1947–1956.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fortin, N.Y., Deshusses, M.A., 1999. Treatment of methyl tert-butyl ether vapors in biotrickling filters. 1. Reactor startup, steady-state performance, and culture characteristics. Environmental Science & Technology, 33(17): 2980–2986. [doi:10.1021/es981337s]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fortuny, M., Baeza, J.A., Gamisans, X., Casas, C., Lafuente, J., Deshusses, M.A., Gabriel, D., 2008. Biological sweetening of energy gases mimics in biotrickling filters. Chemosphere, 71(1):10–17. [doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2007.10.072]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galera, M.M., Cho, E., Tuuguu, E., Park, S.J., Farnazo, D.M., Jee, C., Yoo, N.J., Chung, W.J., 2007. Removal of NH3, H2S and toluene by biofilters packed with rock wool-compost media. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, 13(6):895–902.

    Google Scholar 

  • GB 14554-93. Emission Standards for Odor Pollutants. State Environmental Protection Administration of China (in Chinese).

  • GB 7479-87. Water Quality—Determination of Ammonium—Nessler’s Reagent Colorimetric Method. State Environmental Protection Administration of China (in Chinese).

  • GB 7493-87. Water Quality—Determination of Nitrogen (Nitrite)—Spectrophotometric Method. State Environmental Protection Administration of China (in Chinese).

  • GBZ 2.1-2007. Occupational Exposure Limits for Hazardous Agents in the Workplace. Ministry of Health of China (in Chinese).

  • HJ/T 346-2007. Water Quality—Determination of Nitrate-nitrogen—Ultraviolet Spectrophotometric Method. State Environmental Protection Administration of China (in Chinese).

  • HJ/T 399-2007. Water Quality—Determination of the Chemical Oxygen Demand—Fast Digestion-spectrophotometric Method. State Environmental Protection Administration of China (in Chinese).

  • Ho, K.L., Chung, Y.C., Tseng, C.P., 2008. Continuous de odorization and bacterial community analysis of a biofilter treating nitrogen-containing gases from swine waste storage pits. Bioresource Technology, 99(8): 2757–2765. [doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2007.06.041]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iliuta, I., Iliuta, M.C., Larachi, F., 2005. Hydrodynamics modeling of bioclogging in waste gas treating trickle-bed bioreactors. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44(14):5044–5052. [doi:10.1021/ie049635n]

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  • Lu, C., Lin, M.R., Lin, J., 2001. Removal of styrene vapor from waste gases by a trickle-bed air biofilter. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 82(3):233–245.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Mao, I.F., Tsai, C., Shen, S., Lin, T., Chen, W., Chen, M., 2006. Critical components of odors in evaluating the performance of food waste composting plants. Science of the Total Environment, 370(2–3):323–329. [doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2006.06.016]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mathur, A.K., Majumder, C.B., 2008. Biofiltration and kinetic aspects of a biotrickling filter for the removal of paint solvent mixture laden air stream. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 152(3):1027–1036. [doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.07.112]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nisola, G.M., Cho, E., Orata, J.D., Redillas, M.C.F.R., Farnazo, D.M.C., Tuuguu, E., Chung, W.J., 2009. NH3 gas absorption and bio-oxidation in a single bioscrubber system. Process Biochemistry, 44(2):161–167. [doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2008.10.004]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pagans, E., Font, X., Sánchez, A., 2005. Biofiltration for ammonia removal from composting exhaust gases. Chemical Engineering Journal, 113(2–3):105–110. [doi:10.1016/j.cej.2005.03.004]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S., Bae, W., 2009. Modeling kinetics of ammonium oxidation and nitrite oxidation under simultaneous inhibition by free ammonia and free nitrous acid. Process Biochemistry, 44(6):631–640. [doi:10.1016/j.procbio.2009.02.002]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S.J., Nam, S.I., Choi, E.S., 2001. Removal of odor emitted from composting facilities using a porous ceramic biofilter. Water Science and Technology, 44(9):301–308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramirez, M., Gómez, J.M., Aroca, G., Cantero, D., 2009. Removal of ammonia by immobilized Nitrosomonas europaea in a biotrickling filter packed with polyurethane foam. Chemosphere, 74(10):1385–1390. [doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.11.061]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sakuma, T., Aoki, M., Hattori, T., Gabriel, D., Deshusses, M.A., 2004. A Conceptual Model for the Treatment of Ammonia Vapors in a Biotrickling Filter. Annual Meeting and Exhibition of the Air and Waste Management Association, Pittsburgh, PA. Indianapolis, IN, p.1–16.

  • Sakuma, T., Jinsiriwanit, S., Hattori, T., Deshusses, M.A., 2008. Removal of ammonia from contaminated air in a biotrickling filter—Denitrifying bioreactor combination system. Water Research, 42(17):4507–4513. [doi:10.1016/j.watres.2008.07.036]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sempere, F., Gabaldón, C., Martínez-Soria, V., Marzal, P., Penya-roja, J.M., Javier Álvarez-Hornos, F., 2008. Performance evaluation of a biotrickling filter treating a mixture of oxygenated VOCs during intermittent loading. Chemosphere, 73(9):1533–1539. [doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2008.08.037]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tian, S., Zhang, L., Wang, Q., Wang, X., Xie, W., 2007. Study on hydrogen sulfide removal based on bench-scale experiment by bio-trickling filter. Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE A, 8(7):1141–1148. [doi:10.1631/jzus.2007.A1141]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsang, Y.F., Chua, H., Sin, S.N., Chan, S.Y., 2008. Treatment of odorous volatile fatty acids using a biotrickling filter. Bioresource Technology, 99(3):589–595. [doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2006.12.032]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Villaverde, S., Garcia-Encina, P.A., Fdz-Polanco, F., 1997. Influence of pH over nitrifying biofilm activity in submerged biofilters. Water Research, 31(5):1180–1186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Q., Zhang, L., Tian, S., Sun, P.T., Xie, W., 2007. A pilot-study on treatment of a waste gas containing butyl acetate, n-butyl alcohol and phenylacetic acid from pharmaceutical factory by bio-trickling filter. Biochemical Engineering Journal, 37(1):42–48. [doi:10.1016/j.bej.2007.03.005]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, G., Xu, X., He, P., 2007. Isolates identification and characteristics of microorganisms in biotrickling filter and biofilter system treating H2S and NH3. Journal of Environmental Sciences, 19(7):859–863. [doi:10.1016/S1001-0742(07)60143-0]

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, L., Wang, Q., Jiao, Z., Xie, W., Xia, B., 2008. Treatment of hydrogen sulfide odor by bio-trickling filter. Journal of Nanjing University of Science and Technology (Natural Science), 32(01):123–126 (in Chinese).

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, L., Meng, X., Wang, Y., Liu, L., 2009. Performance of biotrickling filters for hydrogen sulfide removal under starvation and shock loads conditions. Journal of Zhejiang University-SCIENCE B, 10(8):595–601. [doi:10.1631/jzus.B0920064]

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China

    Nian-tao Xue, Qun-hui Wang & Chuan-fu Wu

  2. Beijing Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Beijing, 100089, China

    Xiao-hong Sun

  3. Japan TOHIN Company Group Profile, Tokyo, 346-0028, Japan

    Wei-min Xie

Authors
  1. Nian-tao Xue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qun-hui Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chuan-fu Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Xiao-hong Sun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Wei-min Xie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Qun-hui Wang.

Additional information

Project supported by the National Natural Science and Technology Pillar Program in the Eleventh Five-year Plan Period (No. 2006BAJ04A06), and the Special Item of System Reformation of the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission, China

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Xue, Nt., Wang, Qh., Wu, Cf. et al. A pilot field-scale study on biotrickling filter treatment of NH3-containing odorous gases from organic waste composting plants. J. Zhejiang Univ. Sci. A 11, 629–637 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A1000095

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1631/jzus.A1000095

Key words

CLC number

Search

Navigation