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Controlling trace organic contaminants with GAC adsorption
Author(s) -
Corwin Christopher J.,
Summers R. Scott
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.5942/jawwa.2012.104.0004
Subject(s) - adsorption , odor , contamination , chemistry , organic matter , activated carbon , environmental chemistry , yield (engineering) , total organic carbon , pulp and paper industry , organic chemistry , materials science , ecology , engineering , metallurgy , biology
The adsorption of trace organic contaminants by granular activated carbon (GAC) was assessed relative to the control of taste and odor (T&O) compounds and disinfection by‐product (DBP) precursor removal. Adsorbers operated for the control of T&O and DBP precursors were shown to yield good to excellent removal of 17 trace organic contaminant probe compounds. Increasing influent concentration of the trace organic contaminant in the parts‐per‐billion level was shown not to affect compound breakthrough on a normalized basis; however, higher influent concentrations did lead to earlier breakthrough on a mass concentration basis. Increasing background dissolved organic matter concentration increased competition for a fixed number of adsorption sites and led to earlier breakthrough. Optimal empty bed contact time depended on the specific treatment objectives and the contaminant removal level needed to meet those objectives. Series and parallel adsorber operation was calculated to yield a twofold decrease in the GAC use rate.