DEVELOPMENT OF A RAPID, EFFECTIVE METHOD

FOR SEEDING BIOFILTRATION SYSTEMS USING

ALGINATE BEAD-IMMOBILIZED CELLS

Presented by: Dr. Low Wan Li

Project collaborators: Odour Services International Limited (OSIL)

& University of Wolverhampton

Funded by: Technology Strategy Board, U.K. & OSIL

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Introduction to odour• Odorous emission source - manufacturing, petrochemical,

food, solid waste, sewage treatment and agricultural activities.

• Treatment methods = scrubbing, incineration, thermal oxidation, biofiltration and adsorption

• Air pollution compounds - VOC, sulphurous compounds, ketones, aldehydes, lower molecular weight fatty acids, ammonia and amines

• Odorous air pollutants - NH3, VOC, sulphur-containing compounds such as H2S, S2- and mercaptans (R-SH)

• Irritants and some may be hazardous to health at higher exposure

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Biofiltration systems• Modernization of biotechnology - biofiltration systems

gaining popularity• Microorganisms - metabolize/neutralize the

malodorous compounds • Mixed population can develop over time from the

indigenous microorganisms present - natural selection • Alternatively, suitable inocula can be introduced • Promote initial colonization - enhance performance• Inoculums supplied in various forms – freeze dried,

broth culture, immobilized cells

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Advantage of immobilized cells

• Immobilization of cells in alginate (3D-polymer matrix)• Gain temporary protection against any potentially

degenerative changes in the new environment• Promote a higher localized cell loading • Prevent high dilution rates / inoculum wash out due to the

continuous irrigation process • Degradable nature of alginate - slow release mechanism • Encapsulated microorganisms released from the matrix to

successfully colonize, attach and form a biofilm on the biofilter media

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Alginate-immobilized cells production

Application

Lab-scale Biofilter(small)

Real-life biofilter

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Colonisation of inoculum on biofilter media

Initial colonization of inoculums

Heavy colonization leading to biofilm formation

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Alginate-immobilized cell viabilityOSILAir Pollution Control

Alginate-immobilized cell viability• Micro-environment within the beads - nutrients, limits cell

exposure to external stress and toxic conditions, allow cells to proliferate

• Cells to maintain viability over a longer period of time• 2 weeks storage – observe fungal populations

contaminating and growing on the bead structures• Freeze dry - preserve the cells and alginate bead • Process shrinks the bead size whilst removing at least 91 %

of the initial bead weight• Easy storage and transport

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Freeze-dried alginate beads

0.5 g of freeze dried beads

From this: To this:

Rehydrated back to at least 75.0 % of original weight

Reduced by ≈ 87.5 % of original weight

Beads after being rehydrated

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Freeze-dried alginate beads

Average resultInitial viability in beads upon production (CFU/g)

2.27 x 108

Freeze-dried bead weight (g) 2.36Rehydrated bead weight (g) 11.94Viability of beads upon rehydration (CFU/g)

7.48 x 107

Table show the summary of cell viability and weight of freeze dried beads rehydrated in media for 48 hours

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Air pollution control challenge• Traditional odour control system technologies may not

cope • Increasing variation in processing and manufacturing

industries in modern society • Complicated mixture of contaminants from modern

industrial processes• Require effective strategies to be implemented at the

design and initial planning stage based on the “best-fit” concept

• Resolve the odour issue, keep within the budgetary and legislative constraints

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Research Outcomes

• Effective biofilter – require efficient cell attachment • Immobilized cells – more rapid rate of colonization and

reduces risks of inoculums “wash-out”• Localized availability of inoculum, nutrients leachate

from the beads onto the surface and stable micro-environment

• Beneficial in increasing the rate of colonization• Beads and inoculum shelf-life can be increased by

freeze drying technique

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Future research

• Further research - incorporate the growth of other suitable microorganisms

• Create an adaptable mixed culture of inoculums for the treatment of more complex odours coming from modern industrial processes

• Development of a ready-to-go freeze dried immobilized-cells to be used as an effective and rapid biofilter re-seeding methodology

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Conclusion

• Feasibility of producing viable alginate bead immobilized-cells

• Suitable for promoting rapid colonization on pumice• Potential use of selectively tailored inoculums in

biofiltration systems• Beneficial in optimizing and maximizing biofilter

performance within a short time frame

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References1. Chen, D. Z., Fang, J. Y., Shao, Q., Ye, J. X., Ouyang, D. J., & Chen, J. M. Biodegradation of tetrahydrofuran by

Pseudomonas oleovorans DT4 immobilized in calcium alginate beads impregnated with activated carbon fiber: Mass transfer effect and continuous treatment. Bioresource Technology, (2013). 139: 87-93.

2. Galera, M. M., Cho, E., Tuuguu, E., Park, S. J., Lee, C., & Chung, W. J. Effects of pollutant concentration ratio on the simultaneous removal of NH3, H2S and toluene gases using rock wool-compost biofilter. Journal of Hazardous Materials, (2008). 152: 624-631.

3. Karunakaran, E. & Biggs, C. A. Mechanisms of Bacillus cereus biofilm formation: an investigation of the physicochemical characteristics of cell surfaces and extracellular proteins. Applied microbiology and biotechnology, (2011). 89: 1161-1175.

4. Lee, K. Y. & Mooney, D. J. Alginate: properties and biomedical applications. Progress in Polymer Science, (2012). 37: 106-126.

5. Lin, Q., Wen, D., & Wang, J. Biodegradation of pyridine by Paracoccus sp. KT-5 immobilized on bamboo-based activated carbon. Bioresource Technology, (2010). 101: 5229-5234.

6. Nanda, S., Sarangi, P.K. & Abraham, J. Microbial biofiltration technology for odour abatement. International Research Journal of Microbiology, (2011). 2: 415-422.

7. Sanjeevkumar, S., Nayak, A. S., Santoshkumar, M., Siddavattam, D. & Karegoudar, T. B. Paracoccus denitrificans SD1 mediated augmentation with indigenous mixed cultures for enhanced removal of N, N-dimethylformamide from industrial effluents. Biochemical Engineering Journal, (2013). 79: 1-6.

8. Zarra, T., Giuliani, S., Naddeo, V., & Belgiorno, V. Control of odour emission in wastewater treatment plants by direct and undirected measurement of odour emission capacity. Water Science & Technology, (2012). 66: 1627-1633.

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Collaborators

• Odour Services International Limited (OSIL), U.K. Matt Wilkes, Dr. Corby Lee, Dr. Wan Li Low, Ben

Capewell• University of Wolverhampton, U.K. Dr. David Hill and Dr. Clive Roberts• Knowledge Transfer Partnership, U.K. Dr. Russ Bromley

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Clients using OSIL technologiesOSILAir Pollution Control

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

FOR MORE INFO PLEASE VISIT http://www.osiltd.com

EMAIL US AT info@osiltd.comOR W.L.Low2@wlv.ac.uk

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