Characteristics of Bio-filter Support Media for the Odor Control

Bio-filtration utilizes microorganisms fixed to a porous medium to metabolize pollutants present in an air stream. The microorganisms grow in a bio-film on the surface of a medium or are suspended in the water phase surrounding the medium particles. Therefore, bio-filter support media play one of the most important key roles in bio-filtration of gas phase pollutants. To characterize and select the appropriate support media, gas adsorption capacity and microorganism immobilization were investigated in lab-scale experiments for the selected target support media which were compost I (compost from lab-scale process), compost II (compost from municipal facility), bark, wood chip, orchid stone and vermiculite. As odor materials, ammonia and trimethylamine were utilized. From the result of experiments, bark was superior to any other support media tested in adsorption capacity as much as 12.5 mg ammonia per 1 g bark. In trimethylamine adsorption, bark and wood chip showed a remarkable results of 21.1 and 14.1 mg/g respectively. On the other hand, microorganism fixation test determined by the count of nitrogen oxidizing microbes population, the compost II and wood chips showed the best results. Considering the characteristics of materials and the operating condition of the bio-filter, bark, wood chip, and compost II are applicable to the support media of bio-filter when they are appropriately blended on the basis of studying the media pH, packing porosity and moisture contents.