{"id":478,"date":"2026-09-29T04:15:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T20:15:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bestoutofbest.com\/blog\/?p=478"},"modified":"2026-09-29T04:15:05","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T20:15:05","slug":"what-are-the-microbial-strains-used-in-a-biological-deodorization-system-4a3f-9d8ed9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.bestoutofbest.com\/blog\/2026\/09\/29\/what-are-the-microbial-strains-used-in-a-biological-deodorization-system-4a3f-9d8ed9\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the microbial strains used in a Biological Deodorization System?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve ever walked past a food processing plant, wastewater treatment facility, or municipal waste transfer station and noticed a noxious, stomach-twisting odor that lingers, there\u2019s a good chance a biological deodorization system is working behind the scenes to neutralize it. For my team and me, designing, installing, and maintaining these systems isn\u2019t just about technical specs\u2014it\u2019s about pairing the right microbial strains with the unique mix of odor compounds a client faces, because a one-size-fits-all approach doesn\u2019t work when you\u2019re tackling hydrogen sulfide from manure or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cooking oil waste. Over the 12 years I\u2019ve been doing this, I\u2019ve seen far too many underperforming systems that were loaded with generic \u201codor-eating\u201d bacteria that couldn\u2019t survive real-world conditions, like fluctuating pH or sudden spikes in ammonia. Today, I want to break down the key microbial strains our team consistently relies on, why each matters, and how we tailor their use to every client\u2019s specific needs\u2014no fancy AI or unproven lab concoctions, just hard-earned, field-tested knowledge. Biological Deodorization System<\/a><\/p>\n

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First, let\u2019s get one thing straight: biological deodorization works because we\u2019re harnessing the natural metabolic processes of microbes to break down odorous compounds into harmless byproducts\u2014carbon dioxide, water, and even nutrient-rich biomass that doesn\u2019t smell. Unlike chemical scrubbers that just mask odors or transfer them to another medium (like contaminated water), these systems are eco-friendly, low-cost to run, and way less disruptive to a client\u2019s operations. But the success hinges entirely on the microbial community we seed into the system\u2019s biofilter, biotrickling filter, or bioscrubber. We don\u2019t just pick strains off a shelf; we screen for ones that can tolerate the local climate, the specific mix of odors present, and the physical conditions of the client\u2019s facility. That\u2019s why our process starts with a full site audit: we test air samples, check pH levels, measure moisture content in the biofilter medium, and even note temperature fluctuations throughout the day. Once we have that data, we build a custom microbial blend, and there are a handful of core strains that form the backbone of almost every effective blend we use.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the workhorses of hydrogen sulfide (H\u2082S) elimination, because H\u2082S is the single most common odor compound our clients deal with\u2014think rotten eggs, the sharp, acrid smell that makes your eyes water when you get too close to a sewage lift station. The top strain for breaking down H\u2082S is Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans. This gram-negative, acidophilic bacterium thrives in low-pH environments (we keep biofilter media around pH 2\u20133 for H\u2082S removal, and A. thiooxidans loves it) and oxidizes H\u2082S into sulfuric acid, which is then neutralized with a mild base in the recirculation water. I remember a client in the poultry processing industry a few years back who was getting cited by the local health department for H\u2082S emissions that were drifting to a nearby residential neighborhood. The generic biofilter they had installed only had a small amount of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, mostly mesophilic strains that died off when the outdoor temperature dropped in winter. We swapped in a blend heavy in A. thiooxidans, plus a thermophilic variant we\u2019d tested for cold tolerance, and within three weeks, their H\u2082S levels dropped from 45 parts per million (ppm)\u2014way above the legal limit\u2014to less than 0.05 ppm. The neighborhood complaints stopped entirely. Now, if a client\u2019s H\u2082S load is high, we might also add a related strain, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, which is good at oxidizing not just sulfur compounds but also iron and other metals that often show up in industrial waste streams. It\u2019s not as efficient at low pH as A. thiooxidans, but it fills a gap for clients with mixed odors that include both H\u2082S and heavy metals.<\/p>\n

Next up, we have the strains that handle ammonia (NH\u2083), another extremely common odor culprit that smells like cat urine or barn manure and is a big issue for agriculture, wastewater, and livestock facilities. Ammonia is tricky because it\u2019s a basic compound, so it raises pH in the biofilter medium if not broken down quickly, which can stress out other strains. The star here is Nitrosomonas europaea, a nitrifying bacterium that converts ammonia into nitrite (NO\u2082\u207b) as its primary energy source. Then, Nitrobacter winogradskyi picks up where Nitrosomonas leaves off, turning nitrite into nitrate (NO\u2083\u207b), which is a useful nutrient for plants if we later leach it out of the biofilter. A client I worked with on a 200-head dairy farm in central Ohio was struggling so much with ammonia odors that they had to keep their barn doors closed even on warm spring days, making the cows uncomfortable and reducing milk production by almost 8%. We installed a biotrickling filter system with a blend of N. europaea, N. winogradskyi, and a small amount of heterotrophic bacteria to stabilize pH, and within two months, the ammonia levels in the barn dropped by 92%. The dairy was able to keep their doors open, and their milk production bounced back right away. We also learned a lesson from that project: if a client has both high ammonia and H\u2082S loads, we adjust the pH balance carefully\u2014too low for too long can kill the nitrifiers, so we add small amounts of a buffering agent to keep pH around 6\u20137, which is perfect for both the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and the nitrifiers.<\/p>\n

Then there\u2019s the wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are responsible for the pungent, often sweet or chemical odors from food processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and even some waste transfer stations. VOCs are a catch-all category that includes compounds like benzene, toluene, ethanol, and various ketones, and they require a different set of microbes because they\u2019re not inorganic like H\u2082S and ammonia. For these, our go-to strains are Pseudomonas putida and Bacillus subtilis. Pseudomonas putida is incredibly versatile\u2014it can break down more than 100 different VOCs, including many that are toxic to other microbes, and it thrives in a wide range of pH and temperature conditions. It\u2019s also great at colonizing the porous media in biofilters, forming a thick biofilm that efficiently traps and breaks down VOCs before they can be released. Bacillus subtilis is a spore-forming bacterium, which is a huge advantage for us because spores can survive harsh conditions\u2014like when a system is shut down for maintenance, or when there\u2019s a sudden spike in VOC levels that would kill non-spore-forming strains. When we start up a new system, B. subtilis germinates quickly once it\u2019s exposed to moisture and nutrients, so it\u2019s the first line of defense against sudden odor events. I had a client in the craft beer industry last year who was dealing with VOCs from spent grain and brewing residues that smelled like sour grain and were drawing complaints from a nearby coffee roastery. Their existing system had a lot of nitrifiers that were great for ammonia but useless for VOCs. We added a blend of P. putida and B. subtilis, plus a small amount of Candida tropicalis, a yeast that\u2019s also good at breaking down ethanol-based VOCs, and within a month, their odor complaints dropped from 5\u20136 a week to zero.<\/p>\n

Wait, I should also mention the unsung heroes of biological deodorization: the heterotrophic bacterial strains that don\u2019t get as much press as the sulfur-oxidizers or nitrifiers, but are critical for balancing the microbial community. These include strains like Paracoccus denitrificans and Streptomyces coelicolor. Paracoccus denitrificans is great at breaking down complex organic compounds, including some of the more stubborn VOCs, and it also helps with denitrification, converting excess nitrate into nitrogen gas that\u2019s harmless. Streptomyces coelicolor is a filamentous bacterium that forms a network of threads that help hold the biofilm together, so other strains can colonize the biofilter media more effectively. It also produces enzymes that break down tough organic matter, like fat and protein residues, which are common in food processing facilities and can clog biofilters if not decomposed. I once had a client in a meat packing plant where the biofilter was getting clogged with leftover fat and grease, which reduced airflow and made the whole system ineffective. We added a blend of S. coelicolor and a few other lipolytic (fat-breaking) bacteria, and within two weeks, the clogging was gone, and their odor removal efficiency went up by 40%.<\/p>\n

Now, I know some people reading this might be wondering: why don\u2019t we use genetically modified microbes? After years of testing, we\u2019ve steered clear of GMOs for our commercial systems, and for good reason. GMO microbes might work in a lab, but in the messy, variable conditions of a real-world facility, they don\u2019t hold up. They often can\u2019t compete with native microbes, they die off quickly when conditions change, and many regulatory agencies have strict rules about introducing GMOs into the environment. Our clients want a system that works reliably, doesn\u2019t require constant monitoring, and is compliant with local environmental regulations, so we stick to wild-type strains that have been isolated from natural environments\u2014like soil, wastewater, and compost\u2014where they\u2019ve evolved to survive in fluctuating conditions. That\u2019s not to say we never experiment; we regularly test new wild-type strains from environmental samples we collect, but only after running months of field trials to make sure they perform as well as we claim.<\/p>\n

Another thing that makes our approach different from many competitors is that we don\u2019t just seed the system once and walk away. We monitor the microbial community on an ongoing basis, testing for the presence and activity of the key strains, and adjusting the blend if needed. For example, if a client\u2019s production process changes and they start generating more of a certain VOC, we might add a small amount of a specialized strain that\u2019s good at breaking that specific compound, like Pseudomonas fluorescens, which is great at breaking down toluene. Or if the local temperature drops in winter, we might supplement the blend with thermophilic strains that can handle cooler conditions. It\u2019s this hands-on, adaptive approach that makes our systems work for clients, not just meet a generic spec.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been in this industry long enough to know that every client\u2019s odor problem is unique. A sewage plant in a city has different odor issues than a rice mill, which are different from a municipal solid waste facility. That\u2019s why we never build a system without first doing a full audit, collecting air samples, testing the medium, and talking to the client about their operational needs. The microbial strains we use are the foundation of that system, but they have to be tailored to the client\u2019s specific situation. We\u2019ve seen what happens when you use generic strains: underperformance, wasted money, and unhappy clients. Our job is to deliver a system that works, and that starts with picking the right microbes for the job.<\/p>\n

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If you\u2019re dealing with persistent odors at your facility, whether it\u2019s from wastewater, agriculture, food processing, or waste management, we can help. We don\u2019t sell one-size-fits-all systems; we design custom biological deodorization systems with microbial blends that are field-tested, reliable, and compliant with local regulations. Contact us today to discuss your odor control needs and schedule a site audit.<\/p>\n

Fenton Reactor<\/a> References<\/p>\n

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  1. Bohn, H. L. (1992). Biotreatment of gaseous emissions. Environmental Science & Technology, 26(10), 1978-1986.<\/li>\n
  2. Devinny, J. S., Deshusses, M. A., & Webster, T. S. (1999). Biofiltration for air pollution control. Lewis Publishers.<\/li>\n
  3. Ryu, H. W., & Kim, S. H. (2017). Recent advances in biotrickling filters for odorous gas treatment: A review. Journal of Environmental Management, 196, 334-346.<\/li>\n
  4. Van Langenhove, H., & Deshusses, M. A. (2001). Biofiltration for volatile organic compounds. Current Opinion in Biotechnology, 12(3), 293-299.<\/li>\n
  5. Wullstein, L. H., & Padilla, G. J. (1981). Decomposition of hydrogen sulfide by Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans in biofilters. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 41(5), 1125-1129.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    Jinan Guangbo Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.<\/a>
    We’re well-known as one of the leading biological deodorization system manufacturers and suppliers in China. With a professional production team, we are able to meet the needs of the majority of our customers. Please feel free to buy high quality biological deodorization system from our factory.
    Address: No. 102, Commercial and Residential Building, 18th Floor, Tangye Academician Valley, Tangye Sub-district, Licheng District, Jinan City
    E-mail: info@gbwwt.com
    WebSite:     https:\/\/www.gbwwt.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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