Application of Palm Oil Fiber as a Media Biofilter on Waste Gas Treatmeny: Case Study in Crumb Rubber Factory

Air pollution especially odor (malodor) produced from crumb rubber factory have created complaint and resistance from society in vicinity. The chemical compounds contained in raw crumb rubber material consist of: R-CO-NH-R, R-NH2-COOH dan R-NH2-SH-R... During the storage, these compounds experince decomposition process and turn into odorized compounds, among others: ammonia, organic acids, and sulfide compounds. The experiments conducted consist of the use of natural biofilter media in form of the palm oil fiber generated from factory’s waste treatment. H2S and NH3 gasses were used as contaminants in form of single and mixture feeding. Microorganisms used were in consortium state that occured naturally (indigenous) in filter media. The H2S and NH3 gasses removal efficiency achieved 99,5 % and 99 % respectively. From model development, it revealed that the profile of contaminant removal rate can be predicted using biofilm media and reaction limiting model. The mixture of H2S and NH3 showed the occurence of removal process simulataneously that was mediated by the same microorganisms community. Diffution resistance did not occured in both contaminants, and the process was conrolled by biochemical reaction of microorganisms in biofilm. Biofilm distribution were occured along the biofilter in accordance with the amount of cells within filter media. Palm oil fiber media have a sufficent nutrient avaibility for long term operation and 36 months of operational and the biofilter can still operate well without the treatment of nutrient enrichment