Studies of the Stability of Microbial Association Use in Industrial Biofiltering of Gaseous Discharges

Results of industrial exploitation of a biofiltration plant tailored for purifying gaseous discharges of hazardous organic components such as toluene, cyclohexane, and xylene, are examined. Both numerical and compositional variations were monitored for a long-term (more than 1.5 years) utilization process in an association of microorganisms decomposing organic pollutants. A population of microbial association composed by one yeast and two bacterial strains in the biofilm on the surface of filtering sheets was abundant (10 super(8)-10 super(9) yeast cells/cm super(2) and 10 super(10)-10 super(11) bacterial cells/cm super(2)) and stable during the whole period of monitoring. A microbial association in the culture medium averaging 10 super(6) yeast cells/l and 10 super(8) bacterial cells/l is more susceptible to technogenic impacts and seasonal fluctuations. Overall, the biofilter as an open and autonomic system maintained its microbial association, thereby providing high-degree (93-98%) purification of industrial gaseous discharges from organic pollutants.