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Thiobacillus denitrificans immobilized biotrickling filter for NO2 removal

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Abstract

Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) removal efficiency of a biotrikling filter was evaluated under different operating conditions. Activated alumina (AA) was used as the immobilization matrix for Thiobacillus denitrificans (T. denitrificans) in the biotrickling filter. Batch studies were conducted to find out the degradation kinetics of nitrate and nitrite for a concentration range of 600–10,000 mg/L expressed as nitrogen. Nitrite exhibited maximum degradation rate followed by nitrate. Electron acceptor in the form of NO2 gas showed least removal efficiency. Bio-kinetic parameters for T. denitrificans, by utilizing nitrate and nitrite as electron acceptors, were also evaluated. The μmax (Maximum specific growth rate) and YT (Yield coefficient) values for T. denitrificans in the presence of nitrate and nitrite were 1.03 h−1, 0.275 and 0.63 h−1, 0.1316 respectively. Column study was conducted to find the adsorption and desorption potential of activated alumina. The adsorbed NO2 from AA could easily be desorbed using distilled water with an efficiency of 76±0.8%. Once fed batch studies were conducted to evaluate the NO2 removal efficiency by a biotrickling filter. With an influent NO2 gas concentration of 2,735 ppm, the reactor could achieve a removal efficiency of 99% within 2 min from gas phase and within 96 h from the liquid phase, with an average biomass concentration of 200 mg/g of AA. The mechanism of NO2 gas removal in the biotrickling filter seems to be the dissolution of NO2 in water to form NO −3 , conversion of NO −3 to NO2 −, and finally to N2 gas.

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  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai, 600 036, India

    N. D. V. N. S. Murali Krishna & Ligy Philip

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  1. N. D. V. N. S. Murali Krishna
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  2. Ligy Philip
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Correspondence to Ligy Philip.

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Krishna, N.D.V.N.S.M., Philip, L. Thiobacillus denitrificans immobilized biotrickling filter for NO2 removal. Clean Techn Environ Policy 7, 285–293 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-005-0003-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-005-0003-x

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