Experimental Study of Biodegradation of Ethanol and Toluene Vapors

Table 2.2 VOC Emissions in the U.S. in the Year 2000 (EPA, 2005)
Category
VOC Emissions
(thousand
tonnes)
Fuel Combustion Industrial 235
Non-industrial 949
Industrial Chemical and Allied Product 254
Processes Manufactures
Metals Processing 67
Petroleum and Related Industries 428
Other Industrial Processes 454
Solvent Utilization 4,831
Storage and Transport 1,176
Waste Disposal and Recycling 415
Transportation 7,969
Miscellaneous 773
National Total 17,511
VOCs are of concern as primary pollutants causing immediate toxicity and
odour, and as secondary pollutants promoting chemical reactions resulting in smog
formation. Efforts to reduce the amounts of these compounds released to the
atmosphere are motivated by problems related to health and the environment. The
public, government, and industry have all increased efforts to reduce the levels of these
compounds released to the environment. There is a building requirement for industries
to reduce VOCs emissions and to adapt existing equipment to new regulations.
To meet the emission standards, various techniques for air treatment have been
or are being applied and developed. These techniques for VOC treatment have been
reviewed by several groups (Cross and Howell, 1992; Dueso, 1994; Hounsell, 1995).
Amongst these are conventional methods and biological methods. The conventional
methods are the most common methods used in industry today, but biological air
7