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Bacteria-Stuffed Charcoal Biofilter Helps Reduce Ammonia Pollution in Factories

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Industrial fertilizer production facilities produce ammonia, which is both toxic and odorous. Removing it from the air usually costs a lot, so better ways have to be found.

Bangladesh researchers found a way to use microbes and wood charcoal to create a biofilter in order to remove ammonia from the air more efficiently.

The team of researchers from the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, in Sylhet built the biofilter from wood charcoal, but not any type of charcoal. They grew a special kind of bacteria inside it, Notrosomonas europaea, which feeds with ammonia that it oxidizes to nitride.

The Notrosomonas is usually found in soil, freshwater, sewage, and on buildings and monuments in polluted areas.

The prototype charcoal biofilter retains around 93% of the ammonia at a concentration of 100 to 500 milligrams per liter of gas.

Biofiltration has been used for decades to treat waste gases, but this is the first efficient example of biofiltration using cheap materials. Though simple, it can greatly reduce pollution levels from various types of factories around the world.

via eurekalert

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Spread the gravel out over the filter so that you have a
    relatively even, but sloping layer. You want the lowest point in the gravel to
    be near the front of the tank so detritus will collect there making it easier
    to clean it out. If you have a secondary filter as well as the under gravel
    filter put that in place now. Position your heater at the back of the tank at
    an angle so that it is heating the water at the bottom of the tank but you are
    still able to see the indicator so you can see it is on. Attach an adhesive
    thermometer near the top of the tank on one end where you can check the
    temperature easily.

    peter @ http://www.unitedfilter.com/

  2. Spread the gravel out over the filter so that you have a
    relatively even, but sloping layer. You want the lowest point in the gravel to
    be near the front of the tank so detritus will collect there making it easier
    to clean it out. If you have a secondary filter as well as the under gravel
    filter put that in place now. Position your heater at the back of the tank at
    an angle so that it is heating the water at the bottom of the tank but you are
    still able to see the indicator so you can see it is on. Attach an adhesive
    thermometer near the top of the tank on one end where you can check the
    temperature easily.

    schultzy @ http://www.unitedfilters.com/

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