Pilot-scale study of removal of paint waste gas by combined technique of photocatalysis with biotechnology

Key words: 
• photocatalysis /
• biotechnology /
• combined technique /
• paint production waste gas /
• pilot-scale study

Abstract: Combined technique of photocatalysis with biotechnology was used for the on-site control of organic waste gas emitted from paint production and processing factory. The results showed that the main components of the waste gas were toluene, ethyl-benzene, m/p-xylene and o-xylene. The concentration of the waste gas was in the range of 27～55 mg/m3. The removal efficiencies of these waste gases were relatively low and not satisfied if photocatalytical technology or biotechnology alone was applied to pilot-scale treatment of the emission gases. The average removal efficiencies of VOCs for photocatalysis and biotechnology were only 67.6% and 67.5% respectively at the steady stage, although the average removal efficiency of VOCs on photocatalysis was about 86.2% at the initial stage. However, the average removal efficiency was 99.2% when two single technologies of photocatalysis and biotechnology were combined together.