Bio-oxidation is a. biological air pollution. control technology. that utilizes bacteria & fungi to biologically absorb and digest vapor-phase VOCs and odorous compounds commonly found in industrial and municipal applications.

1. BIO-OXIDATION- A TECHNOLOGY
FOR SUSTAINABLE POLLUTION
CONTROL
By: Priyam Jyoti Borah
Roll no: 16/275
Dept. of Chemical Engineering,
Assam Engineering College, Jalukbari
Guwahati-13

2. What is Bio-Oxidation? • Bio-oxidation is a
biological air pollution
control technology that
utilizes microbial like
bacteria and fungi to
biologically absorb and
digest vapour phase
VOCs and odorous
compounds.

3. AIR POLLUTION
Air Pollution is the
introduction of
chemicals, particulate
matter, or biological
materials that cause
harm or discomfort to
humans or other living
organisms, or damages
the natural environment
into the atmosphere.
Though present
science is at peek
march, the other fields
of pollution control
under this banner has
not been developed
much. Hence here we
will discuss about air
pollution control in
details.

4. Air
Pollutants
Suspended particulate matter
Sulphur oxides (𝑆𝑂2)
Nitrogen oxides(CO)
Hydrocarbons(HC)
Hydrogen sulphide(𝐻2 𝑆)
Lead
Effects Of
Air
Pollution
Chronic bronchitis
Lung cancer
Dermatitis due to irritants and carcinogens in smoke
Other Respiratory Disease

5. Bio Reaction
Bio Reaction is simply
the use of microbes to
consume pollutant from
a contaminated air
stream. Almost any
substance, with the help
of microbes, will
decompose(decay)
given the proper
environment.

6. Factors affecting Bio-reaction
Temperat
ure:
A blast of hot air can totally kill a biomass faster
than any other accident when emissions from a
process are too hot, operators often pass hot
emissions through a humidifier that cools gasses
down by evaporative cooling.
Moisture: The second most critical variable is bed moisture.
Microbes need moisture to survive and moisture
creates the bio-film that removes (absorbs)
pollutants from an air stream so that they can be
assimilated by microbes. Low moisture problems
can be corrected by passing emissions through
humidifier.

7. Acidity Most bioreactors perform best
when the bed pH is near 7, or
neutral. Some pollutants from
acids when they decompose
production of acids over time will
lower pH and will eventually
destroy microbes. This is the
result of denatured protein which
brings about an alteration of the
ionic charges on the molecule. If a
process emits pollutants that
produce acids, a plan must be
developed to neutralize these
acids.
Also high pH effects the
structure of all
macromolecules. The H-
bonds holding together
stands of the DNA
breaks. Lipids are
hydrolyzed by a basic
pH. Hence a smart
control of pH is done.
Each growing culture is
carefully buffered at
appropriate, and constant
pH for the length of the
experiment.

8. Feeding Bio-reaction tests to determine
which microbe strains perform
best on a particular mix of
pollutants. They can then
inoculate the bed media with
those strains and start up with
the “right” microbes in place.
Pollutants provide the main
source of food and energy, but
microbes also require
macronutrients to sustain life.
Decay of an organic bed media
can provide most
macronutrients. However, if a
bed is deficient in certain
nutrients, microbes will cease
to grow and could begin to die.

9. Bio reactor Techniques
1. Bio-filtration
2. Bio-scrubber
3. Bioremediation

10. Bio-filtration
• It uses moist solid
media
• Driving force is
solubility in water and
biodegradability
• High treatment
performance is
associated with low
molecular weight and
high water solubility.
• Large surface area
• Balanced energy
sources and nutrients.
• Stable structural matrix
to allow the gas stream
to pass through.

11. Advantages Disadvantages
1. Very moderate initial capital
costs.
1. Large land requirement for
traditional design.
2. Low operating costs. 2. No continuous internal liquid
flow in which to adjust bed pH or
to add nutrients.
3. Large energy savings over other
technology.
3. Traditional design does not have
a covered top.
4. Generates non-hazardous by-
products.
4. Bed replacement can take 2 to 6
weeks, depending on bed size.
5. Treatment to handle wide range
of VOCs.
6. Consortium of microorganisms,
once well developed can handle
moderate fluctuations in input gas
content.

12. Bio scrubber
Consists of two reactor :-
• The first part is an
absorption tower, where
pollutants are absorbed by
a liquid phase.
• Second reactor, which is a
kind of activated sludge
unit, where
microorganisms growing
in suspended flocks in the
water degrade the
pollutants.
• The effluent of this unit is
re-circulated.

13. Advantages Disadvantages
1. Save the cost of installing a
humidification process
1. More expensive
2. Smaller footprint than other
bioreactors.
2. Over feeding can cause excessive
biomass growth, which can plug
the bioscrubber.
3. Because pH control and nutrient
feed can be automated, it requires
less attention than other
bioreactors .
3. Operating cost can be higher.
4. Process is ideal for emissions that
produce acids upon treatment.
4. Needs expensive and complex
feeding and neutralizing systems.
5. Bioscrubber can treat emissions
containing particulate matter
5. To control biomass growth, toxic
and dangerous compounds must be
inventoried and handles.

14. Media Selection
• Media selection is critical in biofilter design. Media must
provide a suitable environment for microbial growth and
maintain a high porosity to allow air to flow easily. Critical
properties of media material include (1) porosity, (2) moisture
holding capacity, (3) nutrient content and (4) slow
decomposition.
• Inoculum
• Operating conditions

15. Conclusion
• Like many other control technologies, bio-
reaction works in many cases, but not all. The
trick is knowing when it will work and when it
won’t.
• If emissions are very concentrated or extremely
toxic, they are probably not suitable for bio-
reaction.
• Yes, bio-reaction is a viable, low cost option in
some circumstances that qualify for this
technology.

16. Reference
1. Air pollution control engineering, by De Nevers, second edition
2000, Mc Graw hill Production.
2. Biofilter Applications in Coating Industry, Journal of the Paint and
Coatings Industry, XVII (7), pp. 78-83
3. “Bio-Oxidation, an Engineered Treatment of Industrial Air
Streams”, by Jim Boswell and Michael Foggia. Pro Environment©
Journal.
4. www.brooklyn.edu
5. www.biohealthcenter.com/bioxirx
6. www.sciencedirect.com
7. www.scribd.com/pubmrd
8. The PCC ™ journal (monthly edition)
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