Isolation of formaldehyde-degrading bacteria and the evaluation of the degradation characteristics

[Display omitted] •A formaldehyde-degrading bacteria was isolated and identified as Pseudomonas putida.•Formaldehyde-degrading characteristic of the bacteria was evaluated in a biofilter.•Removal rate above 90% was maintained when inlet loading was below 38.9 mg L−1 h−1.•Maximum degradation rates in the biofilter are better fitted with the Haldane model. A formaldehyde-degrading bacteria strain, B1, was isolated. Strain B1 was characterized morphologically, physiologically and biochemically, and it was identified as Pseudomonas putida. Then, the formaldehyde biodegradation characteristics were evaluated in a biofilter. A formaldehyde removal rate above 90% was maintained when inlet loading was below 38.9 mg L−1 h−1. In addition, strain B1 quickly became dominant bacteria when the reactor was restarted following a 30-days’ disruption, illustrating that the strain is both adaptable and resilient. The numerical simulation results demonstrate that the maximum degradation rates in the biofilter with strain B1 are better fitted with the Haldane model.