Biological Destruction of VOCs

Biological VOC treatment using bio‑scrubbing and biofilters

Some volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be treated effectively using biological digestion, providing a low‑energy alternative or complement to thermal oxidation and carbon adsorption. ERG designs biological VOC treatment systems that use bacteria to capture and degrade VOCs in scrubbers, bio‑trickling filters and biofilters, tailored to the specific VOC profile and site effluent strategy.

Biological VOC digestion in scrubber–digester systems

ERG has experience applying biological treatment to VOC‑laden scrubber liquors in closed‑loop systems. At a printing ink manufacturing facility, ERG’s scrubber provides VOC treatment via a novel biological process:

Printing ink fumes (VOCs and pigment particulates) are captured in a water scrubber.
The scrub liquor is then treated in an aerobic digester sized to handle the liquor throughput and solids loading.
Treated liquor is sprayed back into the scrubber in a closed circuit, so the only effluent is a biological sludge removed from the digester tank.

This approach enables continuous VOC abatement while minimising liquid effluent and utilising biological digestion to destroy captured organics.

Bio‑trickling filters and biofilters for VOC treatment

ERG also applies biological VOC treatment using bio‑trickling filters and biofilters:

Bio‑trickling filters for VOCs from tank farms – ERG has carried out projects at pharmaceutical tank farms to upgrade existing bio‑trickling filters so they operate more efficiently with direct VOC removal and in‑situ biological digestion. In these projects, a carbon filter is introduced downstream of the bio‑trickling filter to provide polishing and achieve the required stack discharge limit.
Biofilters for odourous VOCs – numerous odour control systems use biofilters to treat odorous air streams that typically contain volatile fatty acids (VFAs), ketones, alcohols, ethers and esters. Further details are available on ERG’s Odour Control pages.

These biological stages can be supplied as stand‑alone treatment steps or integrated with other VOC abatement technologies such as water scrubbing, carbon filters or thermal oxidation, depending on the duty and emission limits.

Contact our sales team for more information about how ERG can assist with your VOC treatment.