A system for removing undesirable compounds from contaminated air includes a biofilter having an alkaline material introduction system and a fuzzy-logic based controller. A contaminant, such as hydrogen sulfide, is removed from contaminated air by passing the contaminated air through the biofilter.

Waste gas mixtures produced and used in industry may contain harmful sulphurous compounds. The present disclosure provides a method for treatment of gas mixtures contaminated with harmful sulphurous compounds by using microorganisms capable of degrading said harmful sulphurous compounds which involves controlling nitrate levels in the medium in which microbiological conversion of harmful sulphurous compounds takes place at high levels.

The invention relates to a filtering apparatus and method for treating polluted indoor air, which can be operated by gas scrubbers, adsorbers, or through the use of a microbial biodegrading medium for polluting gases, wherein said apparatus allows the biofiltration method to be efficient and applicable in indoor spaces. The technical problem of the efficiency of the filter has to do with said filter being able to process the greatest amount of pollutants during a minimum residence time and with a filter bed volume that allows the application thereof in apparatus that have an adequate size for indoor spaces, such as spaces inside the household, i.e., allowing the reactor to operate at maximum capacity without having to increase the size thereof.

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.

Provided is a method of reducing a concentration of a fluorine-containing compound in a sample using a biocatalyst and an ionic liquid.

An agent for removing malodor from a painting booth includes a volatile organic compound (VOC) degrading microorganism and a volatile fatty acid (VFA) degrading microorganism. The VOC degrading microorganism is configured to degrade VOC. The VFA degrading microorganism is configured to degrade VFA generated when the VOC is degraded. A method of removing malodor is also disclosed.

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.

A process for selective capture of CO.sub.2 from gaseous mixture comprising of: (a) spraying a bio-amine cluster; (b) capturing CO.sub.2 through bio-amine cluster; and (c) desorption of CO.sub.2 through solar assisted electro de-amination, wherein the bio-amine cluster is comprises of: an amine cluster comprising of a quaternary Isobutylamine (IB) with amine terminated Poly(L-lactide) as the chelating agent; a cluster stabilizing agent; a cluster micelle stabilizing agent; and a carbonic anhydrase (CA) functionalized matrix in 0.05-0.2 wt % of total wt % of bio-amine cluster and wherein the CA is obtained from a source selected from the group consisting of Bacillus thermoleovorans, Pseudomonas fragi, Bacillus stearothermophilus and Arthrobacter sp. and a process for production of bio-amine cluster.

A process to treat a gas comprising hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans is described. The following steps are part of this process: (a) contacting the hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans comprising gas (1) with an aqueous solution (3) comprising sulphide-oxidising bacteria thereby obtaining a loaded aqueous solution (5) and a gas (4) having a lower content of hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans, (b) contacting the loaded aqueous solution with mercaptan reducing microorganisms immobilized on a carrier under anaerobic conditions, (c) separating the aqueous solution obtained in step (b) from the mercaptan reducing microorganisms to obtain a first liquid effluent (7), and (d) contacting the first liquid effluent (7) with an oxidant (9) to regenerate the sulphide-oxidising bacteria to obtain a second liquid effluent (11) comprising regenerated sulphide-oxidising bacteria. The sulphide-oxidising bacteria as present in step (a) are comprised of regenerated sulphide-oxidising bacteria obtained in step (d).

A mobile emissions control system having an emission capturing system and emission control system is provided for diesel engines operated on ocean-going ships at-berth. The emissions control system may be mounted on a towable chassis or mounted on a barge, allowing it to be placed alongside ocean-going ships at-berth. A crane or boom transfers a duct of the emissions capturing system extending from the emissions control system to the ship to capture exhaust from its engine. Alternatively, the system may be mounted on an automated guided vehicle (AGV) equipped with a tower and a crane. The crane mounted on the AGV then lifts the duct forming part of the emissions capture system to the ship's exhaust system to capture exhaust from the ship's diesel engine and transfers it to the emissions control system, which cleans the exhaust and then passes clean air into the atmosphere through an exhaust outlet.