An evaluation of the adsorption process in removing organic substances in a pilot flow-type surface water treatment system

Abstract

This article presents the results of the adsorption process effectiveness in treating surface water, especially in removing organic substances. The effectiveness of the adsorption system was evaluated at different levels of adsorption capacity exhaustion of the activated carbon bed, which was possible due to replacement of the beds during the study period. Studies have shown that among the removed substances, chlorinated disinfection byproduct precursors dominated, and during the period preceding bed replacement, the biological activity of microorganism populating the activated carbon ensured a reduction in not only organic but also non-organic food substrates. In such a adsorption bed populated with microorganism a nitrification process took place, indicating a high degree of process stability. Replacing the adsorption beds provided a significant increase in the effectiveness of removing organic substances, especially those absorbing UV light, therefore removing chlorinated organic disinfection by-product precursors.