Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Preparation of Expanded Chitin Foams and their Use in the Removal of Aqueous Copper
Published on: February 27, 2021
Effects of oxygen and water content on microbial distribution in the polyurethane foam cubes of a biofilter for SO2
Jingying Zhang1, Lin Li1, Junxin Liu1
1State key laboratory of Environmental Aquatic Chemistry, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Abstract:
The performance of a biofilter for off-gas treatment relies on the activity of microorganisms and adequate O2 and H2O. In present study, a microelectrode was applied to analyze O2 in polyurethane foam cubes (PUFCs) packed in a biofilter for SO2 removal. The O2 distribution varied with the density and water-containing rate (WCR) of PUFCs. The O2 concentration dropped sharply from 10.2 to 0.8mg/L from the surface to the center of a PUFC with 97.20% of WCR. The PUFCs with high WCR presented aerobic-anoxic-aerobic areas. Three-dimensional simulated images demonstrated that the structure of PUFCs with high WCR consisted of an aerobic "shell" and an anoxic "core", with high-density PUFCs featuring a larger anoxic area than low-density PUFCs. Moreover, the H2O distribution in the PUFC was uneven and affected the O2 concentration. Whereas aerobic bacteria were observed in the PUFC surface, facultative anaerobic microorganisms were found at the PUFC core, where the O2 concentration was relatively low. O2 and H2O distributions differed in the PUFCs, and the distribution of microorganisms varied accordingly.
Related Concept Videos
Distribution of Cytoplasmic Content
Distribution of cytoplasmic determinants
The cytoplasm contains various organelles, as well as salts, proteins, and water. The distribution of...
Body Water Content and Fluid Compartments
Stereotype Content Model
Framing Effects
Water and Mineral Acquisition
States of Water
Water freezes when the intermolecular forces are greater than the kinetic energy. Unlike most other substances, water is less dense in its solid state than in its liquid state. This is because each water molecule can form...

