An improved biofilter to control the dissolved organic nitrogen concentration during drinking water treatment.
Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) is a key precursor of numerous disinfection by-products (DBPs), especially nitrogenous DBPs (N-DBPs) formed during disinfection in drinking water treatment. To effectively control DBPs, reduction of the DON concentration before the disinfection process is critical. Traditional biofilters can increase the DON concentration in the effluent, so an improved biofilter is needed. In this study, an improved biofilter was set up with two-layer columns using activated carbon and quartz sand under different influent patterns. Compared with the single-layer filter, the two-layer biofilter controlled the DON concentration more efficiently. The two-point influent biofilter controlled the DON concentration more effectively than the single-point influent biofilter. The improved biofilter resulted in an environment (including matrix, DO, and pH) suitable for microbial growth. Along the depth of the biofilter column, the environment affected the microbial biomass and microbial activity and thus affected the DON concentration.
Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, 1 Qianhu South Road, Ningbo, China.|Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, China.
Huining
H
Zhang
College of Urban Construction and Environmental Engineering, Chongqing University, No. 174 Shazhengjie, Chongqing, China.
Li
L
Gu
Xinyang Normal University, No. 237 Nanhu Road, Xinyang, China.
Bing
B
Liu
Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, 1 Qianhu South Road, Ningbo, China.
Huihui
H
Gan
Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, 1 Qianhu South Road, Ningbo, China.
Kefeng
K
Zhang
Ningbo Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University, 1 Qianhu South Road, Ningbo, China.
Huixia
H
Jin
Key Lab of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen, China. xyu@iue.ac.cn.
Xin
X
Yu
D002606:Charcoal; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000032:analysis*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis*; D012995:Solubility; D018508:Water Purification / Q000379:methods*
D060766:Drinking Water; D002606:Charcoal; D009584:Nitrogen
Activated carbon; DON; Drinking water; Precursor of DBPs; Two-layer media biofilter; Two-point influent biofilter