INTRODUCTION

A greenhouse gas is a gas in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within the thermal infrared range.This process is the fundamental cause of the greenhouse effect. The primary greenhouse gases in the Earths atmosphere are water vapor,carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. In the Solar System, the atmospheres of Venus, Mars, and Titan also contain gases that cause greenhouse effects. Greenhouse gases greatly affect the temperature of the Earth; without them, Earths surface would be on average about 33 C (59F) colder than at present. Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the burning of fossil fuels has contributed to the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere from 280 ppm to 390 ppm, despite the uptake of a large portion of the emissions through various natural sinks involved in the carbon cycle. Anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2 ) emissions (i.e., emissions produced by human activities) come from combustion of carbonaceous fuels, principally wood, coal, oil, and natural gas. Aside from purely human-produced synthetic halocarbons, most greenhouse gases have both natural and human-caused sources. During the pre-industrial Holocene, concentrations of existing gases were roughly constant. In the industrial era, human activities have added greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, mainly through the burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests. The 2007 Fourth Assessment Report compiled by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) noted that changes in atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols, land cover and solar radiation alter the energy balance of the climate system, and concluded that increases in anthropogenic (caused by human activities) greenhouse gas concentrations is very likely to have caused more than 50% of the increases in global average temperatures since the mid-20th century.

Greenhouse gases
A greenhouse gas is one of several gases that can absorb and emit longwave (infrared) radiation in a planetary atmosphere. Of the sunlight that falls on the Earths surface, approximately 40% of that energy is reradiated upward into the atmosphere in the form of longwave radiation. Approximately 75% of that upward radiated longwave energy is absorbed by water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases. Since this absorption process is molecular in nature, the subsequent reradiation of energy by these gases is multidirectional. As a result, about 50% of the longwave emission is reradiated back toward the Earth where it is once again turned into heat energy. Through this process, greenhouse gases contribute to the amount of heat energy released at the Earths surface and in the lower atmosphere.

Impact of a given gas on the overall greenhouse effect

Each gases contribution to the greenhouse effect is affected by the characteristics of the gas, its abundance, and any indirect effects it may cause. For example, on a molecule-for-molecule basis the direct radiative effects of methane is about 72 times stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide over a 20 year time frame but it is present in much smaller concentrations so that its total direct radiative effect is smaller. On the other hand, in addition to its direct radiative impact methane has a large indirect radiative effect because it contributes to ozone formation. Shindell et al.(2005) argue that the contribution to climate change from methane is at least double previous estimates as a result of this effect.

Anthropogenic greenhouse gases

Since about 1750 human activity has increased the concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Measured atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide are currently 100 ppm higher than pre-industrial levels. Natural sources of carbon dioxide are more than 20 times greater than sources due to human activity, but over periods longer than a few years natural sources are closely balanced by natural sinks, mainly photosynthesis of carbon compounds by plants and marine plankton. As a result of this balance, the atmospheric mole fraction of carbon dioxide remained between 260 and 280 parts per million for the 10,000 years between the end of the last glacial maximum and the start of the industrial era. It is likely that anthropogenic warming, such as that due to elevated greenhouse gas levels, has had a discernible influence on many physical and biological systems. Warming is projected to affect various issues such as freshwater resources, industry, food and health. The main sources of greenhouse gases due to human activity are:

burning of fossil fuels and deforestation leading to higher carbon dioxide concentrations in the air. Land use change (mainly deforestation in the tropics) account for up to one third of total anthropogenic CO2emissions. livestock enteric fermentation and manure management, paddy ricefarming, land use and wetland changes, pipeline losses, and covered vented landfill emissions leading to higher methane atmospheric concentrations. Many of the newer style fully vented septic systems that enhance and target the fermentation process also are sources of atmospheric methane. use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in refrigeration systems, and use of CFCs and halons in fire suppression systems and manufacturing processes. agricultural activities, including the use of fertilizers, that lead to higher nitrous oxide (N2O) concentrations.

When these gases are ranked by their direct contribution to the greenhouse effect, the most important are:

Gas

Formula

Contribution (%)

Water vapor

H2O

36 72 %

Carbon dioxide

CO2

9 26 %

Methane

CH4

49%

Ozone

O3

37%

On the other hand, in addition to its direct radiative impact methane has a large indirect radiative effect because it contributes to ozone formation. Shindell et al.(2005) argue that the contribution to climate change from methane is at least double previous estimates as a result of this effect. When these gases are ranked by their direct contribution to the greenhouse effect, the most important are: In addition to the main greenhouse gases listed above, other greenhouse gases include sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons andperfluorocarbons (see IPCC list of greenhouse gases). Some greenhouse gases are not often listed. For example, nitrogen trifluoride has a high global warming potential (GWP) but is only present in very small quantities.

Greenhouse gas emissions (sources)

Recent year-to-year increase of atmospheric CO2.

Between the period 1970 to 2004, GHG emissions (measured in CO2equivalent) increased at an average rate of 1.6% per year, with CO2 emissions from the use of fossil fuels growing at a rate of 1.9% per year. Total anthropogenic emissions at the end of 2009 were estimated at 49.5gigatonnes CO2-equivalent. These emissions include CO2 from fossil fuel use and from land use, as well as emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and other GHGs covered by the Kyoto Protocol. At present, the two primary sources of CO2 emissions are from burning coal used for electricity generation and petroleum used for motor transport. Annual per capita emissions in the industrialized countries are typically as much as ten times the average in developing countries. Due to China's fast economic development, its annual per capita emissions are quickly approaching the levels of those in the Annex I group of the Kyoto Protocol (i.e., the developed countries excluding the USA). Other countries with fast growing emissions are South Korea, Iran, and Australia. On the other hand, annual per capita emissions of the EU-15 and the USA are gradually decreasing over time. Emissions in Russia and

the Ukraine have decreased fastest since 1990 due to economic restructuring in these countries.

Bio-oxidation
A number of industries, including those that manufacture paints, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and wood panels, produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) and odours as part of their manufacturing process. Traditional methods of dealing with these industrial air emissions include scrubbers, masking agents or activated-charcoal filters, or thermal- or catalytic-oxidization systems that use natural gas to burn off the pollutants which produce greenhouse gases mainly carbon dioxide. However, as the world struggles to increase energy efficiency to cut both costs and carbon emissions, industry is investigating lower-impact, and more efficient methods of controlling the release of harmful greenhouse gases and pollutants into the atmosphere. Bio-oxidation is an air pollution control technology that uses naturally-occurring microbes to biologically absorb and digest industrial emissions, converting them to carbon dioxide, water and mineral salts.

The process typically involves drawing a contaminated air stream through some type of medium that hosts a community of microbes including either bacteria or fungi, or a combination of the two. The process is referred to as bio-oxidation, although it can occur in bioscrubber, bio-trickling filter, and bio-filter units, either alone or in combination, all of which operate at a different media wetness based on the requirements of the appropriate microbes and the targeted pollutant. Microbes used in bio-oxidation digest the pollutants in a multi-step process. After the chemicals pass through the bacterias cell wall, enzymes transform the molecules by pulling them apart until they change into a different compound. For example, in the digestion of a phenol molecule (C6H5OH), the molecule changes to carbon dioxide (CO2) when carbon and oxygen join one another, and then to water (H2O) when hydrogen and oxygen molecules join. This process of oxidation, the joining of molecules with oxygen, not only makes CO2 and H2O, but also provides some of the energy needed by the cell for metabolic processes. Bio-oxidation is not a new concept but it is still not widely used. Historically, it was used to treat odours. The earliest systems were essentially open pits of soil. Most modern bio-oxidation systems, while based on the same biological principles as earlier systems, are completely enclosed and highly engineered, and the technology has developed to the point where bio-oxidation can degrade emissions produced by a number of industrial processes. It has been shown to control: methyl ethyl ketone (MEK); methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK); toluene; xylene; acetone and various alcohols from the manufacture of paints; methanol and formaldehyde from the manufacture of particleboard; and solvents used in silk-screen printing, as well as other pollutants. Microbial communities are remarkably adaptable to changing process conditions, such as fluctuating pollutant concentrations (but) they do have a decided comfort zone, and most naturally occurring microorganisms prefer moderate temperatures. The microbes also need the right amount of water to function optimally, and sometimes the streams of air that need to pass through the filtering process,Just cant be conditioned cost effectively to suit the microbes.

The microbial communities also arent as predictable as mechanical systems and arent at their optimal 100% of the time. Bio-oxidization is also trying to compete with well-established methods for which standards have already been developed, and accepted, by governing agencies and industry. Bio-oxidation technology continues to advance and recently developed systems address a number of previous issues. Newer systems have a smaller carbon footprint than earlier designs, are more structurally robust, need less maintenance and have fewer moving parts. The deciding factors, however, in whether bio-oxidation becomes more widespread may be the significantly lower energy requirements of the systems, the lower release of CO2 compared to traditional methods of controlling pollutants, and the fact that biooxidation does not release any of the combustion by-products associated with thermal- and catalytic-oxidation systems, including sulphur and nitrogen oxides that contribute to global warming and acid rain. The Bio-oxidation process combines two proven technologies: the chemical-physical treatment and the biological treatment of waste gases. Stage one removes water-soluble components from the waste gas in a bio-scrubber (BTF = bio-trickling filter). In this respect the crude gas is fed into the trickling filter column via a sump. The gas streams through the anorganic column elements, which are continually sprayed with circuit water, which allows for autonomous biological growth. The tempered sump serves as another biological treatment phase for all of the components which are washed out of the crude gas.

The second phase comprises a biofilter whereby the base material has been specially optimized. The biofilter materials commonly used until now have been replaced by a stable base material known as the BioMatrix. This BioMatrix consists of saddle packings complemented by specially treated compost. The advantage is on the one hand the stability of the base materials since bed compactions are avoided in the treatment bed. This prevents any undesired channeling which would lead to a reduction in the purifi cation performance. On the other hand using this special BioMatrix material guarantees a higher specific surface to process the untreated waste gas. This also leads to the higher service life of the bed material when comparing with conventional systems.

The bacteria and fungi in the compost substrate oxidize the polluted substances at hand. The organic components are converted to oxygen, water and CO2. The degradation rates equal up to 98% depending on the type of contaminants being treated. The pollutants are adsorbed and biodegraded in the last process step.

Depending on the space available, the amount of waste gas to be treated and the component substances to be eliminated, there are different modes of construction: Standard container Columns Construction made of concrete with finished elements

Advantages
Biological degradation of pollutants Modular extendible design Highest plant availability Stable bed material Much longer service lives Optimum adjustment to legal limits

Disadvantages
There are two primary issues to be confronted when using biofilter systems. There is the issue of overall VOC/THC removal when compared to thermal oxidizers bio-oxidation systems generally being less effective. The exhaust gases from most units are simply too hot for processing in a bio-oxidation syatem. The organisms would literally be unable to grow or killed outright by the excessive heat.

Applications
Bio-oxidation finds its appllication in preventing greenhouse emissions in the following industries: Timber, paint and coatings industry Food industry Paper, pulp and viscose industry Chemical and pharmaceutical industry Electronics industry Odor generating industries Mechanical-biological waste treatment