The invention present provides a method (and suitable apparatus) to convert biomass to ethanol, comprising gasifying the biomass to produce raw syngas; feeding the raw syngas to an acid-gas removal unit to remove at least some CO.sub.2 and produce a conditioned syngas stream; feeding the conditioned syngas stream to a fermentor to biologically convert the syngas to ethanol; capturing a tail gas from an exit of the fermentor, wherein the tail gas comprises at least CO.sub.2 and unconverted CO or H.sub.2; and recycling a first portion of the tail gas to the fermentor and/or a second portion of the tail gas to the acid-gas removal unit. This invention allows for increased syngas conversion to ethanol, improved process efficiency, and better overall biorefinery economics for conversion of biomass to ethanol.

This invention is a bioreactor device adapted to improve air quality. The bioreactor consists of a base that houses the mechanical components and a vessel that holds liquid mixture of water, a photosynthetic microorganism, and a media. The bioreactor has an air pump which draws room air into the base of the device through an air filter. The bioreactor bubbles the air through the liquid mixture. Photosynthesis converts the carbon dioxide to oxygen.

In some embodiments, the invention provides a method for converting of a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) waste product to a gypsum-enriched product by fostering growth of sulfur oxidizing bacteria (SOB) in the FGD waste product. Also provided are isolated sulfur oxidizing bacteria cultures as well as kits comprising an isolated sulfur oxidizing bacteria culture and written instructions for fostering the growth of the isolated sulfur oxidizing bacteria culture in FGD waste product to product a gypsum-enriched product.

Disclosed are examples of luminaires that provide light for general illumination and treat air via a biofilter. In the examples, a luminaire may include a light source configured to illuminate a space, a biofilter configured to treat air, and an air circulation system. The light source may be configured to illuminate a space in which the luminaire is located with general illumination light. The biofilter may include an air permeable membrane, a substrate, and a microorganism that treats air that comes in contact with the microorganism. The air circulation system is configured to draw air into contact with the biofilter and output air treated by contact with the biofilter into at least a portion of the space illuminated by the light source.

A bio-filter system is disclosed. The disclosed bio-filter system comprises: a transfer pipe for collecting and transferring N.sub.2O generated in any one tank from among an anaerobic tank, an anoxic tank, and an aeration tank; a bio-filter unit including a carrier for removing, by means of microbial reaction, the N.sub.2O discharged from the transfer pipe; and a sewage supply member for spraying sewage into the carrier in order to provide nourishment for microorganisms to the carrier. The bio-filter unit comprises: a filter housing; an induction discharge pipe, which is installed on the lower side of the inside of the filter housing, for inducing the N.sub.2O transferred by the transfer pipe in a transverse direction and enabling same to be discharged upwardly through a nozzle; the carrier, which is disposed on the upper side of the induction discharge pipe inside the filter housing, for removing, by means of microbial reaction, the N.sub.2O discharged through the induction discharge pipe; and a sewage spraying member, which is disposed on the top of the carrier inside the filter housing, for spraying sewage supplied from the sewage supply member to the carrier so as to utilize the sewage as nourishment for microorganisms.

A multi-stage treatment system for removal of target vapor compounds from a contaminated air stream consisting of an initial bioscrubber stage utilizing a plurality of filter media derived from foamed glass immediately followed by a biofilter stage utilizing a plurality of media derived from the calcareous exoskeleton of a bivalve mollusk (shell media).

There is provided a process for growing a phototrophic biomass in a reaction zone, wherein the reaction zone includes a reaction mixture that is operative for effecting photosynthesis upon exposure to photosynthetically active light radiation, wherein the reaction mixture includes phototrophic biomass that is operative for growth within the reaction zone. The process includes supplying at least a fraction of gaseous exhaust material, being discharged from an industrial process, to the reaction zone, exposing the reaction mixture to photosynthetically active light radiation and effecting growth of the phototrophic biomass in the reaction zone, wherein the effected growth includes growth effected by photosynthesis, and modulating distribution of a molar rate of supply of carbon dioxide, being exhausted from the reaction zone, as between a smokestack and at least another point of discharge.

The invention relates to a bioreactor for the anaerobic conversion of gaseous CO.sub.2 and a liquid culture medium to organic acids. The invention further relates to a process for the anaerobic conversion of gaseous CO.sub.2 and liquid culture medium to organic acids, using said bioreactor. The invention further relates to a process for the anaerobic conversion of gaseous CO.sub.2 and liquid culture medium to gaseous CH.sub.4 using the organic acids as intermediate products, using said bioreactor and an anaerobic digester.

The present invention discloses a strain of Lysinibacillus fusiformis with methylamine degradability and the application thereof. This strain, named Lysinibacillus fusiformis GDUTAN2, was deposited on May 24, 2017 in the China Center for Type Culture Collection in Wuhan University, Wuhan City, Hubei Province with a deposit number of CCTCC NO. M 2017284. This Lysinibacillus fusiformis GDUTAN2 was Grain-positive and rod-shaped, and the colony appeared to be round, white and transparent, having a diameter of 1-2 mm. The Lysinibacillus fusiformis GDUTAN2 of the present invention can be applied to environmental restoration, degrading methylamine in the environment at a high degradation effective. When it degraded methylamine for 96 h at a substrate concentration of 130 mg/L, the degradation could reach 32.8%.

A system for removing undesirable compounds from contaminated air includes a biofilter having porous glass media. Hydrogen sulfide is removed from contaminated air by passing the contaminated air through the biofilter.