Combined Granular Activated Carbon And UV/H₂O₂Processes For The Treatment Of Pharmaceutical Wastewater

Treated Wastewater ◽

Maximum Adsorption Capacity ◽

Combined Processes ◽

Pharmaceutical Wastewater ◽

Feed Concentration ◽

Toc Removal ◽

Reduction Efficiency ◽

The treatment of pharmaceutical wastewater was performed at the lab scale using UV/H₂O₂, process granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption and their combination to investigate the total organic carbon (TOC) removal efficiency for different inlet TOC loadings and treatment times. Experimental study revealed that GAC adsorption alone had 81% efficiency in TOC removal in 10 min breakthrough time for flow rate of 0.6 L/min with granular activated carbon dosage of 333.33 mgActivated Carbon/L whereas UV/H₂O₂ process alone showed 26 and 29% TOC reduction at with 21.7 g/LH₂O₂ concentration with 254 and 185 nm wavelength lamps a 6 h hydraulic retention time, respectively, with average feed concentration (TOC) of 1,7555.75 mgC/L and COD of 5,214.6 mg/L at 25 ± 5°C. Experimental results showed that the optimum H₂O₂ dosage for the UV/H₂O₂ process was 1:2 stoichiometric COD: H₂O₂ molar ratio to achieve up to 26 and 29% TOC reduction efficiency than that at pH 12.01 which resulted 15-20% TOC reduction efficiency. The Bohart-Adams rate constants (K) and maximum adsorption capacity of carbon (N) from column breakthrough studies for synthetic pharmaceutical wastewater at 81% were found to be 7.10 x 10⁻³ L/(min.mgC) and 1.06 x 10³ mgC/L, respectively. In combined processes, it was found that GAC adsorption followed by desorption of contaminants from GAC by steam and UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ treatment of the condensed steam let to 81% of TOC removal from the wastewater. Out of 358.73 mgC/L of TOC desorbed 88.1% of TOC was degraded in the UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ treatment was degradation. Total operating cost of GAC adsortpion followed by desorption of contaminants from GAC by steam and UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ treatment of condensed steam were found to be $11/L. While the pre-treated wastewater by UV₂₅₄H₂O₂ treatment followed by GAC adsorption, along the desorption of contaminants from GAC using steam and UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ treatment of the condensed steam, let to an overall 81% TOC removal and 75.1% of TOC degradation using UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ process. The cost of this combined treatment was found to be $6/L of wastewater treated which led to an economical saving of $5/L with respect to the combined TOC removal and degradation efficiency achieved. The savings predictions were achieved due to the less carbon dosage requirement and ability of UV/H₂O₂ process to degrade the TOC present in the wastewater. Based on single and combined treatments, the minimum total cost and time for 81% TOC removal were determined for the combination of UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ treatment followed by GAC adsorption, along with desorption of contaminants from GAC using steam and UV₂₅₄/H₂O₂ treatment of the condensed steam. The overall minimum cost and minimum time were found to be $6/L of wastewater treated and 114.5 h, respectively. The treatment parameters and conditions for treating 30 L of the synthetic pharmaceutical wastewater were at an average feed concentration of TOC = 1,755.75 mgC/L and COD = 5,214.6 mg/L leading to TOC = 333.5 mgC/L of the effluent concentration which was near to the industrial effluent disposal level in Canada.

Granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption in tertiary wastewater treatment: experiments and models

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.2003.0030 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 47 (1) ◽

pp. 113-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

D.S. Chaudhary ◽

S. Vigneswaran ◽

V. Jegatheesan ◽

H.H. Ngo ◽

H. Moon ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wastewater Treatment ◽

Activated Carbon ◽

Fixed Bed ◽

Developed Countries ◽

Synthetic Wastewater ◽

Batch Adsorption ◽

Model Parameters ◽

Wide Range ◽

Wastewater treatment has always been a major concern in the developed countries. Over the last few decades, activated carbon adsorption has gained importance as an alternative tertiary wastewater treatment and purification process. In this study, granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption was evaluated in terms of total organic carbon (TOC) removal from low strength synthetic wastewater. This paper provides details on adsorption experiments conducted on synthetic wastewater to develop suitable adsorption isotherms. Although the inorganics used in the synthetic wastewater solution had an overall unfavourable effect on adsorption of organics, the GAC adsorption system was found to be effective in removing TOC from the wastewater. This study showed that equation of state (EOS) theory was able to fit the adsorption isotherm results more precisely than the most commonly used Freundlich isotherm. Biodegradation of the organics with time was the most crucial and important aspect of the system and it was taken into account in determining the isotherm parameters. Initial organic concentration of the wastewater was the determining factor of the model parameters, and hence the isotherm parameters were determined covering a wide range of initial organic concentrations of the wastewater. As such, the isotherm parameters derived using the EOS theory could predict the batch adsorption and fixed bed adsorption results of the multi-component system successfully. The isotherm parameters showed a significant effect on the determination of the mass transfer coefficients in batch and fixed bed systems.

Granular activated carbon adsorption of organic micro-pollutants in drinking water and treated wastewater – Aligning breakthrough curves and capacities

Water Research ◽

10.1016/j.watres.2016.01.056 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 92 ◽

pp. 180-187 ◽

Cited By ~ 66

Author(s):

Frederik Zietzschmann ◽

Christian Stützer ◽

Martin Jekel

Keyword(s):

Drinking Water ◽

Activated Carbon ◽

Breakthrough Curves ◽

Treated Wastewater ◽

Activated Carbon Adsorption ◽

Carbon Adsorption ◽

Micro Pollutants

Application of Carbonaceous Materials to Phenol Removal from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption

Applied Mechanics and Materials ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.164.297 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 164 ◽

pp. 297-301 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Wei Fang Dong ◽

Li Hua Zang ◽

Qing Chao Gong ◽

Cun Cun Chen ◽

Cai Hong Zheng ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Activated Carbon ◽

Adsorption Capacity ◽

Petroleum Coke ◽

Powdered Activated Carbon ◽

Maximum Adsorption Capacity ◽

Phenol Removal ◽

Carbonaceous Materials ◽

Solution Ph ◽

Equilibrium Studies

Low cost carbonaceous materials were evaluated for their ability to remove phenol from wastewater. The effects of adsorbents dosage, contact time and maximum adsorption capacity were investigated for granular activated carbon, powdered activated carbon, petroleum coke and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT). Equilibrium studies were conducted in 50mg/L initial phenol concentration, solution pH of 5 and at temperature of 23°C. The results showed the adsorption process was fast and it reached equilibrium in 3 h. Petroleum coke and MWNT had poor adsorption which could reach the removal efficiency of phenol with 43.18% and 36.64% respectively. The granular activated carbon possessed good adsorption ability to phenol with 96.40% at the optimum dosage 5g and optimum time 90min.The powdered activated carbon was an effective adsorbent with a maximum adsorption capacity of 42.32 mg/g.

Reuse of spent granular activated carbon for organic micro-pollutant removal from treated wastewater

Journal of Environmental Management ◽

10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.06.011 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 160 ◽

pp. 98-104 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Jingyi Hu ◽

Ran Shang ◽

Bas Heijman ◽

Luuk Rietveld

Keyword(s):

Activated Carbon ◽

Pollutant Removal ◽

Treated Wastewater

Performance of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) Adsorption and Biofiltration in the Treatment of Biologically Treated Sewage Effluent

Separation Science and Technology ◽

10.1080/01496390701588992 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (14) ◽

pp. 3101-3116 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S. Vigneswaran ◽

H. K. Shon ◽

J. Kandasamy ◽

W. G. Shim

Keyword(s):

Activated Carbon ◽

Sewage Effluent ◽

Treated Sewage ◽

Treated Sewage Effluent ◽

Preventing trihalomethane formation: the ability of granular activated carbon and brimac media to remove colour and total organic carbons, from drinking water in the north west of Scotland

Water Science & Technology Water Supply ◽

10.2166/ws.2010.166 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 526-533

Author(s):

K. M. Courtnadge ◽

A. Muir ◽

S. Sandilands ◽

J. Martin

Keyword(s):

Activated Carbon ◽

Water Treatment ◽

Fulvic Acids ◽

Design Solution ◽

Remote Communities ◽

North West ◽

The North ◽

Toc Removal ◽

In Series

Background: Granular activated carbon (GAC) and Brimac media has been used for many years in water treatment works to reduce and remove colour and total organic carbon (TOCs). This reduces the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) formed by disinfection with chlorine. The TOCs arise from humic and fulvic acids found in source waters for many, small, scattered remote communities in Scotland. A number of different configurations and empty bed contact times (EBCTs) of GAC and Brimac media were studied at Scottish Waters Acharacle water treatment works using a purpose built pilot plant of flexible design. This was used to establish the absolute design threshold for colour and TOC to meet Scottish Water's water specifications for their removal. Results: The 50:50 combination of Brimac and GAC in series reduced raw colour of up to 39°Hazen to below 10°Hazen and raw TOCs from up to 5.7 mg/l to <2.0 mg/l producing the lowest levels of THMs after chlorine addition of <10 μg/l. An EBCT of 5.4 hours produced an average colour removal of 79.2% and average TOC removal of 79.1%. Conclusions: 50:50 Brimac then GAC in series with an EBCT of 5.4 hours was the best configuration for the removal of colour and TOCs and gave rise to the lowest formation of THMs. The trials have successfully proved how the THM precursors can be removed by the GAC once the colour has been removed by the Brimac. This has not only provided a design solution for Acharacle WTW but the “way forward” for Scottish Water with regard to media change out on their numerous existing GAC plants which are faced with similar problems.

Effects of molecular oxygen on GAC adsorption of energetics

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1997.0277 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 35 (7) ◽

pp. 197-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sarah L. VanderLoop ◽

Makram T. Suidan ◽

Sandra R. Berchtold ◽

Moustafa A. Moteleb ◽

Stephen W. Maloney

Keyword(s):

Catalytic Activity ◽

Activated Carbon ◽

Adsorption Capacity ◽

Molecular Oxygen ◽

Waste Treatment ◽

Adsorption Properties ◽

Chemical Degradation ◽

Degradation Reactions ◽

Munitions wastewaters are commonly treated by granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption followed by incineration of the spent carbon. The design of effective GAC unit processes hinges on the knowledge of GAC adsorption capacity for the compounds of interest as well as the types of chemical interactions to expect. GAC can often catalyze polymerization or chemical degradation of the adsorbate in the presence of molecular oxygen. Some adsorbates, though less common, may be subject to catalytic activity even when no molecular oxygen is present. The products of these interactions may enhance or interfere with effective waste treatment. This study individually evaluated the adsorption properties of a variety of energetics compounds. A number of surface catalyzed polymerization and degradation reactions were noted.

Microwave regeneration of spent activated carbon for the treatment of ester-containing wastewater

RSC Advances ◽

10.1039/c6ra05211h ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (65) ◽

pp. 60815-60825 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tianlong Zheng ◽

Qunhui Wang ◽

Zhining Shi ◽

Zhihui Zhang ◽

Yuhui Ma

Keyword(s):

Activated Carbon ◽

Lithium Ion Battery ◽

Lithium Ion ◽

Microwave Regeneration ◽

Mw Irradiation ◽

Irradiation Process ◽

In this study, an integrated granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption/microwave (MW) irradiation process was used for the treatment of ester-containing wastewater from a lithium-ion battery (LIB) factory.