Pore and surface diffusion mass transfer models were used to predict the breakthrough profiles of a 14‐component mixture eluting from a point‐of‐use fixed‐bed adsorber. The 14 compounds were surrogates, representing a variety of organics from different classes and groups commonly found in contaminated drinking water. Adsorption isotherms were done for all 14 compounds. Polanyi adsorption potential theory was used to correlate single‐solute isotherm parameters at 21°C and predict isotherm parameters at 6°C. Ideal adsorbed solution theory was used in the mass transfer models to correlate the single‐solute predicted isotherms at 6°C and calculate competitive interactions at the surface of the activated carbon.

An evaluation was carried out of a point-of-use (POU) granular activated carbon (GAG) fixed-bed adsorber (F&A) for removing soluble and insoluble lead from drinking water. Several factors affected the removal of lead from water by GAC, including carbon type, particle size distribution, solution pH, contact time of water with GAC, surface loading of lead onto GAC, competitive interactions with other heavy metals, and the design of the POU-GAC-F&A. Minicolumns were used to determine the relative capacities of GAG for lead under varying water conditions and to help identify mechanisms of lead removal.