Abstract
Biofiltration was successful applied to treat volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated air streams. The experimental approach involved operating a bench-scale biofilter with using granular activated carbon as supports. There was no inoculation and only microorganisms indigenous to the bed medium were used throughout the whole process. Trichloroethylene (TCE) was degraded cometabolically with toluene as primary carbon source. In our work, we investigated that TCE is a potent competitive inhibitor of toluene oxidation because it competed with toluene for oxidation by the enzyme of toluene dioxygenase (TDO). Above a toluene concentration of 0.3 g/m3, the TCE removal efficiency decreased. In turn, TCE existing always decreased the toluene elimination capacity. Under steady-state, at 3 mines-gas-retention time and at 25℃, we get an optimum operation : removal efficiency of toluene and TCE are 70% and 90%.