Purification of model biogas from toluene using deep eutectic solvents

Abstract

Biogas from landfills and wastewater treatment facilities typically contain a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that can cause severe operational problems when biogas is used as fuel. Among the contaminants commonly occur aromatic compounds, i.e. benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylenes (BTEX). In order to remove BTEX from biogas, different processes can be used. A promising process for VOCs removal is their absorption in deep eutectic solvents (DES). In this work, three DES: ([ChCl] U TEG [choline chloride]:urea:tetraethylene glycol (1:2:2), [ChCl] U [choline chloride]:urea (1:2), [ChCl] DEG [choline chloride]:diethylene glycol (1:2)) and water were tested to toluene absorption in concentration of 2000 ppm v/v in nitrogen stream. The results demonstrated the high absorption capacity of toluene using DES based on glycols.