Transient performance of two-phase partitioning bioreactors treating a toluene contaminated gas stream

Two-phase partitioning bioreactors (TPPBs) have emerged as an effective means of treating volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in contaminated air streams and can handle much higher VOC loadings than other biological devices as a result of an immiscible organic second phase which acts as a buffer for toxic or inhibitory substrate loadings. The performance of liquid n-hexadecane and solid styrene-butadiene polymer beads for use as second phases were compared to a single aqueous phase system while treating transient loadings of toluene. The use of a microbial consortium was also compared to the use of a pure strain of Achromobacter xylosoxidans Y234 as the microbial culture. In order to compare these different systems two 5 minute spikes (5 and 17 times the nominal loading rate) and two 60 minute step changes (7 and 17 times the nominal loading rates) were imposed on the systems and performance was characterized based on overall removal efficiencies, instantaneous removal efficiency recovery times (above 95%), and dissolved oxygen recovery times. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...