Activated-Carbon Adsorption of Organic Pollutants

Abstract

Interaction with organic background substances is important in the removal of micropollutants by adsorption. Adsorption analysis characterizes the organic matter in drinking water by adsorbability. The approach is applied for a comparison of varying humic substances and water-treatment processes, along with a description of pH effects. The influence of very low concentrations of natural organic matter on the removal of halogenated pollutants is shown. Organic background significantly affects the range of adsorption capacities for a particular compound between different activated carbons. The main effect could be caused by the slow kinetic properties of humic substances and a long-term preloading of the carbon in a column. Despite different water sources, organic-matter concentrations, and activated-carbon types, a single relationship is found for the maximum column capacities of a halogenated pollutant.