RT journal article
T1 Effect of surfactant type and concentration on the gas-liquid mass transfer in biotrickling filters used for air pollution control
A1 Lamprea Pineda, Paula Alejandra
A1 Carmona, Francisco Javier
A1 Demeestere, Kristof
A1 González Cortés, José Joaquín
A1 Van Langenhove, Herman
A1 Walgraeve, Cristophe
A1 Lebrero, Raquel
A2 Ingeniería Química y Tecnología de Alimentos
K1 Biotrickling filtration
K1 Critical micelle concentration
K1 Gas treatment
K1 Hydrophobic VOCs
K1 Oxygen transfer rate
AB Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted into the atmosphere negatively affect the environment and human health. Biotrickling filtration, an effective technology for treating VOC-laden waste gases, faces challenges in removing hydrophobic VOCs due to their low water solubility and therefore limited bioavailability to microorganisms. Consequently, the addition of (bio)surfactants has proven to be a promising strategy to enhance the removal of hydrophobic VOCs in biotrickling filters (BTFs). Yet, up to now, no single study has ever performed a mass transfer characterization of a BTF under (bio)surfactants addition. In this study, the effect of (bio)surfactant addition on the gas-liquid mass transfer characteristics of two BTFs was measured by using oxygen (O2) as a model gas. Through an empirical correlation, the mass transfer coefficients (kLa) of two hydrophobic VOCs, toluene and hexane, which are of industrial and environmental significance, were estimated. One BTF was filled with expanded perlite, while the other with a mixture of compost and wood chips (C + WC). Both BTFs were operated under different liquid velocities (UL: 0.95 and 1.53 m h−1). Saponin, a biological surfactant, and Tween 80, a synthetic surfactant, were added to the recirculating liquid at different critical micelle concentrations (CMCs: 0–3 CMC). The higher interfacial and surface area of the perlite BTF compared to the C + WC BTF led to higher kLaO2 values regardless of the operational condition: 308 ± 18–612 ± 19 h−1 versus 42 ± 4–177 ± 24 h−1, respectively. Saponin addition at 0.5 and 1 CMC had positive effects on the perlite BTF, with kLaO2 values two times higher compared to those at 0 CMC. Tween 80 exhibited a neutral or slightly positive effect on the mass transfer of both BTFs under all conditions. Overall, the CMC, along with the physical characteristics of the packing materials and the operational conditions evaluated explained the results obtained. This study provides fundamental data essential to improve the performance and design of BTFs for hydrophobic VOCs abatement.
PB Elsevier
SN 1095-8630
YR 2024
FD 2024
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/35795
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/35795
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 07-nov-2026