High efficiency of NH3 and H2S removal from waste gases was achieved by the biotrickling filter. Granular activated carbon (GAC), inoculated with Arthrobacter oxydans CH8 for NH3 removal and Pseudomonas putida CH11 for H2S removal, was used as packing material. Under conditions in which 100% H2S was removed, extensive tests to eliminate high concentrations of NH3 emission-including removal characteristics, removal efficiency, and removal capacity of the system-were performed. The results of the Bed Depth Service Time (BDST) experiment suggested that physical adsorption of NH3 gas by GAC was responsible for the first 10 days, after which NH3 gas was biodegraded by inoculated microorganisms. The dynamic steady state between physical adsorption and biodegradation was about two weeks. After the system achieved equilibrium, the BAC biotrickling filter exhibited high adaptation to shock loading, elevated temperature, and flow rate. Greater than 96% removal efficiency for NH3 was achieved during the 140-day operating period when inlet H2S loading was maintained at 6.25 g-S/m(3)/h. During the operating period, the pH varied between 6.5 and 8.0 after the physical adsorption stage, and no acidification or alkalinity was observed. The results also demonstrated that NH3 removal was not affected by the coexistence of H2S while gas retention time was the key factor in system performance. The retention time of at least 65 s is required to obtain a greater than 95% NH3 removal efficiency. The critical loading of NH3 for the system was 4.2 g-N/m(3)/h, and the maximal loading was 16.2 g-N/m(3)/h. The results of this study could be used as a guide for further design and operation of industrial-scale systems. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.