Biodegradation of toluene in a two-phase low-pressure bioscrubber with using silicon oil as organic phase

The aim of the present study was biodegradation of toluene using a two-phase low-pressure bioscrubber with silicon oil as organic phase. The bioscrubber designed in this study consisted of two parts, the adsorption column and the bioreactor. In order to increase the efficiency of the scrubber, silicone oil was added as organic phases in concentrations of 5%, 7.5% and 10% and tested. The source of the toluene degrading microorganisms was the treatment plant of Tehran refinery. Important operating parameters include inlet concentration (mg/m(3)), outlet concentration (mg/m(3)), biomass content (g/l), removal efficiency (%), and elimination capacity (g/m(3).h). The results showed that the use of 5% silicon oil increased the efficiency from 22% in the state without organic phase to 55% in the case of using 5% silicone oil. Also, the results showed that at a concentration of 5% organic phase, the lowest efficiency was 47% and the highest 71%, and the use of silicone oil in a concentration of 5% increased the efficiency by 38%. Finally, at a concentration of 10% organic phase, the lowest efficiency was 36% and the highest 64%. The use of silicone oil in a concentration of 10% increased the efficiency by 33%. According to studies, bioscrubber can be one of the most effective methods to remove volatile organic compounds compared to conventional methods. However, there are many challenges in using biological systems that can be overcome in a bioscrubber and have better control over its performance parameters.