Granular activated carbon: Importance of surface properties in the adsorption of naturally occurring organics

✍ Scribed by Gayle Newcombe; Rob Hayes; Mary Drikas

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 557 KB
• Volume: 78
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0927-7757
• DOI: 10.1016/0927-7757(93)80311-2

✦ Synopsis

The presence of dissolved organic matter (humic material in particular) in source water decreases the effectiveness of granular activated carbon filters in the treatment of drinking water. Results from potentiometric titrations, electrophoretie mobility measurements and BET surface area analyses suggest that this may be due to an increase in the negative charge on the carbon surface and a decrease in available surface area after adsorption.

An increase in pH and the application of heat causes organics to desorb. After a subsequent acid treatment the carbon exhibits an increased ability to adsorb dissolved organic material. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to examine the carbon surface before adsorption, after adsorption and after regeneration treatment.