Removal of ethyl acetate in air streams using a gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow airlift loop bioreactor

The biological removal of ethyl acetate in air streams was carried out in gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow airlift loop bioreactor, in which biological membrane replaced the activated sludge. The influences of temperature, pH and waste gas influx on the removal efficiency (RE) and the outlet concentration of ethyl acetate were investigated and discussed. The optimum operation conditions were obtained as the temperature of 20-30 °C, pH 6.5-7.5 and waste gas influx of 0.05 m3/h. Under the optimum operation conditions, the average removal efficiency of ethyl acetate is higher than 98%, corresponding to the outlet concentration of ethyl acetate lower than 150 mg/m3. The maximum elimination capacity (EC) of ethyl acetate in gas-liquid-solid three-phase flow airlift loop bioreactor was higher than that in the biofilters reported in the literature.