Methods and systems for inhibiting buildup of crystalline materials in a flue gas desulfurization (FGD) unit. Crystalline materials can accumulate in FGD units as a byproduct of chemical desulfurization processes and can adversely impact FGD unit function. The systems described in the present application include an FGD unit with one or more selected bacterial strains disposed therein. It is believed that the bacteria may form a biofilm on the surfaces in the FGD and/or form a biosurfactant to inhibit or prevent buildup of crystalline materials in the FGD unit. Methods include inoculating an FGD unit with one or more selected bacteria that inhibit or prevent buildup of crystalline materials in the FGD unit. Methods may include periodic reinoculation of the FGD unit.

Methods for enzyme-enhanced CO.sub.2 capture include contacting a CO.sub.2-containing gas with an aqueous absorption solution at process conditionssuch as high temperature, high pH, and/or using carbonate-based solutionsin the presence of Thermovibrio ammonificans carbonic anhydrase (TACA) or functional derivative thereof for catalyzing the hydration reaction of CO.sub.2 into bicarbonate and hydrogen ions and/or catalyzing the desorption reaction to produce a CO.sub.2 gas. The TACA may be provided to flow with the solution to cycle through a CO.sub.2 capture system that includes an absorber and a stripper.

The present invention relates to a method for storing gaseous hydrogen, comprising the steps of producing methanoate (formate) through contacting gaseous hydrogen with carbon dioxide in the presence of a hydrogen dependent carbondioxide reductase (HDCR), and thereby storing of said gaseous hydrogen. The HDCR and/or its complex is preferably derived from Acetobacterium woodii.

The present disclosure relates to processes for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstocks. The processes may include introducing a feedstock comprising hydrogen sulfide to an absorber comprising a metal chelate to form a reduced metal chelate. The processes may further include introducing the reduced metal chelate to a photobioreactor comprising a phototrophic bacterium. The present disclosure also relates to apparatuses for desulfurizing hydrocarbon feedstock. An apparatus may include and absorber and a photobioreactor fluidly connected to the absorber. The photobioreactor may be an anaerobic vessel with a light source.

The present invention provides a joint method of cultivating microalgae combined with denitrating an industrial waste gas and a system useful for the same. The joint method comprises the steps of: (1) a step of cultivating microalgae; (2) a separation step of separating a microalgae suspension obtained from step (1) into a wet microalgae (microalgae biomass) and a residual cultivation solution; (3) a NOx absorbing/immobilizing step of denitrating an industrial waste gas with the residual cultivation solution obtained from step (2); wherein the nutrient stream absorbed with NOx obtained from step (3) is used to provide nitrogen source to the microalgae cultivation of step (1). During the microalgae cultivation, EM bacteria is added into the microalgae suspension. The microalgae is preferably Chlorella sp., Scenedesmus sp., Monoraphidium sp. or Spirulina sp.

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

An exhaust gas decomposition apparatus or system that includes a bioreactor fluorine-containing compound is decomposed by contact with the first and second fluids in the bioreactor. The first fluid is supplied through a bioreactor inlet and is exhausted through the bioreactor outlet, and moves in a first direction in the bioreactor. The first or second fluid includes a biological catalyst such as an enzyme or recombinant microbe, while the other fluid includes a fluorine-containing compound. As a result, the fluorine-compounds is efficiently biologically remediated by the biological catalyst.

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.

In one proposed application provided by the present invention, and as shown in FIG. 2, CO.sub.2 is captured from a dirty flue gas in a fluid bed Turboscrubber to be recycled rapidly to a fluid bed Turbostripper where it is desorbed into a clean air stream for introduction to a horticultural glass-house for enhancement of fruit, vegetable or other crop growth. In a further application of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3, CO.sub.2 enriched saltwater is circulated through a tank (7), to feed Algae thereby allowing fast photosynthesis to occur in, for example, the production of bio fuels. Alternatively, if the Algae suspension is sufficiently robust, it can be pumped around a Turboscrubber (2) and the Algae tank (7) in order to keep it in constant contact with the CO.sub.2 enriched aqueous solution.

Provided is a recombinant microorganism including a genetic modification that increases a 2-haloacid dehalogenase activity, a method of preparing the recombinant microorganism, and a method of using the recombinant microorganism for reducing the concentration of fluorinated methane in a sample.