Adsorption capacity of GAC pilot filter-adsorber and postfilter- adsorber for individual THMs from drinking water, Athens

Abstract

Trihalomethanes are a major class of chlorination by-products in drinking water. They are formed
 when chlorine reacts with bromide (Br-) and natural organic matter (NOM) in source waters.
 Toxicology studies have shown all THMs to be carcinogenic or to cause adverse reproductive or
 developmental effects in laboratory animals. THMs are small volatile molecules, which are
 hydrophobic, non biodegradable and adsorbable on granular activated carbon (GAC).
 The objective of this pilot study is to evaluate the adsorption capacity for individual THMs of a GAC
 filter-adsorber (A) and a GAC postfilter-adsorber (B), both fed with chlorinated natural water.
 For this purpose, a GAC pilot plant was operated as a filter-adsorber and a postfilter-adsorber in
 Galatsi WTP, Athens (GTP) until the removal of individual THMs by GAC was eliminated
 (breakthrough). Regular sampling was performed during operation and the parameters measured
 were: THMs, DOC, free residual chlorine, bromide, turbidity, pH and temperature.
 From the experimental data, GAC bed life, GAC usage rate, GAC loading and operation time to
 breakthrough were calculated for most THMs. TBM was almost not detected. Some desorption of
 THMs, especially TCM and BDCM, was noticed during the operation of both adsorbers.
 Near breakthrough for THMs, equilibrium between adsorbed and dissolved THMs was considered to
 have been established. The GAC equilibrium loading of individual THMs was assumed to depend on
 the mean value of their influent concentration, which was not constant. By correlating the equilibrium
 data by linear regression to conform to the Freundlich isotherm, the Freundlich constants 1/n and k
 were determined for each of THMs. They are related to the physicochemical characteristics and
 background organics of water and the specific GAC used. The strength of the adsorption bond and
 the GAC capacity was higher for DBCM, lower for BDCM and even lower for TCM for both
 adsorbers. In addition, the GAC(B) capacity for BDCM and DBCM was higher than that of GAC(A),
 probably due to larger surface area and surface chemistry of GAC(B). Also, the lower particle size
 and the higher uniformity coefficient of GAC(B), along with the lower flow rate may have attributed to
 that by enhancing GAC equilibration. However, TCM was less adsorbed by GAC(B), probably due
 to the stronger competition effect by BDCM and DBCM, being in much higher mean influent
 concentration.
 The DOC content of influent water seems also to reduce significantly the adsorption of THMs
 (especially of TCM), as the comparison of our results with the isotherm results with distilleddeionized
 water by other researchers showed.

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“…As a result, bromoform and dibromochloromethane made up almost 60% of the total THM concentration for source A before GAC treatment, with 33-45% being adsorbed by the GAC; while in sources B and C it constituted less than 25% of the four THM species (species data not shown). The presence of bromide favours the formation of bromo-THM species, which adsorb better onto GAC than chloro-THM species through the formation of strong bonds between bromide and activated carbon (Babi et al, 2011).…”