Efficacy of a novel biofilter in hatchery sanitation: II. Removal of odorogenous pollutants

Ann Agric Environ Med. 2007;14(1):151-7.

Abstract

The present research assessed the treatment efficiency of odorogenous pollutants in air from a hatchery hall vented on organic and organic-mineral beds of an enclosed-container biofilter. In this study, the following media were used: organic medium containing compost and peat (OM); organic-mineral medium containing bentonite, compost and peat (BM); organic-mineral medium containing halloysite, compost and peat (HM). The concentration of odorogenous gaseous pollutants (sulfur compounds and amines) in the hatching room air and in the air after biotreatment were determined by gas chromatography. In the hatchery hall among the typical odorogenous pollutants, there were determined 2 amines: 2-butanamine and 2-pentanamine, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon disulfide, sulfides and mercaptans. Ethyl mercaptan showed the highest levels as its mean concentration in the hatchery hall air exceeded 60 microg/m3 and in single samples even 800 microg/m3. A mean concentration of 2-butanamine and sulfur dioxide in the examined air also appeared to be relatively high--21.405 microg/m3 and 15.279 microg/m3, respectively. In each filter material, the air treatment process ran in a different mode. As the comparison reveals, the mean reduction of odorogenous contaminants recorded in the hall and subjected to biotreatment was satisfying as it surpassed 60% for most established pollutants. These high removal values were confirmed statistically only for single compounds. However, a low removal level was reported for hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide. No reduction was recorded in the bentonite supplemented medium (BM) for sulfur dioxide and methyl mercaptan. In the organic medium (OM) no concentration fall was noted for dipropyl sulfide either. In all the media investigated, the highest removal rate (100%), not confirmed statistically, was observed for carbon disulfide. Very good results were obtained in the medium with a bentonite additive (BM) for both identified amines, whose mean elimination rate exceeded 60% (p<or=0.05). The present research proved that diethyl sulfide is most susceptible to biofiltration (over 80%) in the bed supplemented with halloysite (HM) and bentonite (BM) (p<or=0.05).

MeSH terms

  • Air Pollutants, Occupational / analysis*
  • Air Pollution / analysis
  • Air Pollution / prevention & control
  • Animals
  • Carbon Disulfide / isolation & purification
  • Chickens
  • Female
  • Filtration / methods*
  • Housing, Animal / standards
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Odorants / analysis*
  • Odorants / prevention & control

Substances

  • Air Pollutants, Occupational
  • Carbon Disulfide