A　nutrient　solution　containing　major　and　trace　elements　plays　a　crucial　role　in　biotrickling　filter　(BTF)　operation　in　practical　applications.　This　study　conducted　a　series　of　experiments　on　the　BTF　packed　with　integral　filters　using　two　types　of　nitrogen　sources　under　different　spray　conditions.　The　rapid　start-up　was　observed　in　the　BTF　feeding　with　ammonium　tartrate-N　(AT-N)　nutrient　solution.　Heterotrophic　nitrification　and　denitrification　were　observed　by　monitoring　the　concentration　of　ammonia-N,　nitrite-N,　nitrate-N,　PO43−　and　SO42−　in　the　nutrient　solution.　The　BTF　performance　under　two　different　types　of　the　nutrient　solutions　were　detected　up　to　∼90%　at　the　inlet　toluene　concentration　of　300–700　mgm−3.　The　BTF　packed　with　integral　filters　exhibited　the　stable　performance　with　the　change　of　nitrogen　source　and　could　be　steadily　operated　at　a　wide　pH　range　of　5.5–8.5.　To　illustrate　the　effect　of　the　two　types　of　nitrogen　sources　on　the　biofilm,　metagenomic　sequencing　was　used　to　assess　the　microbial　diversity　and　functional　genes　of　biofilm　on　the　integral　filters.　The　results　showed　that　the　application　of　AT-N　nutrient　solution　increased　the　functional　genes　of　denitrification　in　the　microorganisms　on　the　filters.　Furthermore,　the　more　stable　performance　of　BTF　was　achieved　by　using　the　AT-N　nutrient　solutions,　which　might　be　beneficial　to　the　long-term　operation　of　BTF　packed　with　honeycomb　integral　packing.　©　2023　Elsevier　Ltd