[VOCs and Odors Control and Development in Pharmaceutical Fermentation Industry]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and odors, which pose potential hazards to human health and the ecosystem, are two of the most important pollutants emitted from the pharmaceutical fermentation industry. Currently, basic research on the characteristics of the pollution and effective prevention technology for VOCs and odors emitted from the pharmaceutical fermentation industry are limited. Specifically, the pharmaceutical fermentation industry lacks adequate theoretical guidance on the supervision and control of VOCs and odors, and some companies even face relocations. Using the pharmaceutical fermentation industry as the study object, the pollution characteristics of VOCs and odors emitted from different production workshops, sewage treatment stations, and the disposal of pharmaceutical residues were assessed. Based on the studies above, the progress of research into representative control technologies were also reviewed systematically. For VOCs and odors control in the pharmaceutical fermentation industry, four suggestions for future research were proposed:① The production processes should be optimized, and the discharge of pollution should be reduced throughout the entire processes; ② Basic research should be carried out on the pollution characteristics of the VOCs and odors emitted from the pharmaceutical fermentation industry, and a rapid and effective method to trace the sources of VOCs and odors should be established; ③ A comprehensive evaluation of control technologies should be conducted, taking cost and efficiency into account; ④ Emission standards and technical orders for VOCs and odors in the pharmaceutical fermentation industry should be formulated and implemented immediately.