Phenomenological model of fungal biofilters for the abatement of hydrophobic VOCs

Alberto Vergara-Fernández, Sergio Hernández, Sergio Revah*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

41 Scopus citations

Abstract

This work describes the growth of filamentous fungi in biofilters for the degradation of hydrophobic VOCs. The study system was n-hexane and Fusarium solani B1. The system is mathematically described and the main physical, kinetic data and morphological parameters were obtained by independent experiments and validated with data from laboratory experiments. The model describes the increase in the transport area by the growth of the filamentous cylindrical mycelia and its relation with n-hexane elimination in quasi-stationary state in a biofilter. The model describing fungal growth includes Monod-Haldane kinetic and hyphal elongation and ramification. A specific surface area of transport (SSAT) of 1.91 × 105 m2 m-3 and a maximum elimination capacity (EC) of 248 g m-3 h-1 were obtained by the mathematical model simulation, with a 10% of error with respect to the experimental EC.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1182-1192
Number of pages11
JournalBiotechnology and Bioengineering
Volume101
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Dec 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Biofiltration
  • Fungal biofilter
  • Hexane
  • Hydrophobic VOCs
  • Modeling biofilter

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