Assessing the Ability of Biofiltration to Remove and Treat Diethanolamine from Contaminated Air Streams Using Compost-Based Biofilter

Biofiltration method is one of the most commonly used and most effective methods to removepollutants from the exhaust gas flow from different industries. One of the most important categories of airpollutants is HAP (Hazardous Air Pollutants). This Study assesses the ability of biofiltration method toremove and treat HAP DEA (Diethanolamine) from a gas stream through a laboratory-scale biofilter columnfilled with granular compost, plastic hose pieces and municipal wastewater sludge. After start-up period withan average concentration of 6 ppm, the main period began with an average DEA inlet concentration of about51.7 ppm corresponding to a loading rate of 0.97 g/m3.hr and empty bed residence time of 89s, the biofilterreached a removal efficiency of about 89% by two weeks. The maximum EC of 26.85 g/m3.hr was achieved ata loading rate of 42.62 g/m3.hr, corresponding to an inlet concentration of DEA of about 258 ppm. Also theloading rates less than 28 g/m3.hr are recommended to achieve the efficiency higher than 80%. The biofiltrationmethod had an efficiency of more than 80% for concentrations <170 ppm at 40°C. Also the maximum pressuredrop was recorded 13.8 mmH2O. It is because of using a mixture of shredded plastic hose pieces as a bulkingagent due to a high level of porosity in the bed.