title: Granular activated carbon adsorption of organic micro-pollutants in drinking water and treated wastewater--Aligning breakthrough curves and capacities.
abstract: Small-scale granular activated carbon (GAC) tests for the adsorption of organic micro-pollutants (OMP) were conducted with drinking water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent. In both waters, three influent OMP concentration levels were tested. As long as the influent OMP concentrations are below certain thresholds, the relative breakthrough behavior is not impacted in the respective water. Accordingly, the GAC capacity for OMP is directly proportional to the influent OMP concentration in the corresponding water. The differences between the OMP breakthrough curves in drinking water and WWTP effluent can be attributed to the concentrations of the low molecular weight acid and neutral (LMW) organics of the waters. Presenting the relative OMP concentrations (c/c0) over the specific throughput of the LMW organics (mg LMW organics/g GAC), the OMP breakthrough curves in drinking water and WWTP effluent superimpose each other. This superimposition can be further increased if the UV absorbance at 254 nm (UV254) of the LMW organics is considered. In contrast, using the specific throughput of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) did not suffice to obtain superimposed breakthrough curves. Thus, the LMW organics are the major water constituent impacting OMP adsorption onto GAC. The results demonstrate that knowing the influent OMP and LMW organics concentrations (and UV254) of different waters, the OMP breakthroughs and GAC capacities corresponding to any water can be applied to all other waters.
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: frederik.zietzschmann@tu-berlin.de.
authors: Frederik
authors: F
authors: Zietzschmann
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Stützer
authors: Technische Universität Berlin, Chair of Water Quality Control, KF4, Str. des 17. Juni 135, 10623 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Jekel
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid; D062065:Wastewater / Q000737:chemistry*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002606:Charcoal; D060766:Drinking Water; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D062065:Wastewater; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Adsorption capacity; Breakthrough curve; Granular activated carbon (GAC); Low molecular weight organics; Organic micro-pollutant; Rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT)