o-Xylene removal using one- and two-phase partitioning biotrickling filters: steady/transient-state performance and microbial community

In this study, one- and two-phase partitioning biotrickling filters (1P-BTF and 2P-BTF, respectively) inoculated with a pre-acclimated mixed culture were examined for the removal of hydrophobic and refractory o-xylene. A small fraction of silicone oil (5% v/v) was added as a non-aqueous phase. Due to the presence of silicone oil, the 2P-BTF exhibited superior performance and stability for o-xylene biodegradation at steady and transient operations. Higher macro-kinetic constants for o-xylene removal by the Michaelis–Menten model were obtained for the 2P-BTF with a saturation constant of 0.396 g m−3 and a maximum elimination capacity of 105.7 g m−3 h−1. The enhancement of removal performance for the 2P-BTF was supported by dominant specialized microorganisms with o-xylene biodegradability. The diversity of microbial community was influenced by the presence of silicone oil. This study demonstrated that a BTF with 5% of silicone oil could be applied for the treatment of hydrophobic and refractory volatile organic compounds. It also provided valuable information for better understanding the relationship between microbial community and removal performance using two-phase partitioning bioreactors.