Comparison of inoculums in the removal of 2-butoxyethanol from air emissions by biotrickling filter: Performance and microbial monitoring

2-butoxyethanol is one of the most used glycol ether in industrial activities and the treatment of air 2-butoxyethanol-emissions become necessary. Biotechnologies are potential treatment technologies due to their low operational costs. The use of two inoculums in the treatment of 2-butoxyethanol by biotrickling filters (BTFs) packed with polyurethane-foam was studied. A pure culture of Pseudomonas putida, previously adapted to 2-butoxyethanol, was used as inocula in a BTF operated in the University of Stuttgart. Fresh activated sludge from a municipal waste water treatment plant was used as inocula in a BTF operated in the University of Valencia. An empty bed residence time of 12.5 s and in…