Comparison of Bacterial Regrowth on Plant- and Coal-based Granular Activated Carbon

Activated carbon has been used in water treatment, because they strongly adsorb organic material including contaminant. Water purifier usually use activated carbon, and bacterial regrowth on that could induce many problems. Model columns, packed with coal- and plant-based granular activated carbon (GAC), were operated with rechlorinated tap water to compare the degree of bacterial regrowth on different GACs. GAC columns decreased the concentration of total organic carbon and chlorine, while they are not good for the decrease of ions. Breakthrough of bacteria were occurred after eight days of operation, and reached 1.1 ${\times}$ 10$^3$ CFU/mL on coal based GAC and 6.2 ${\times}$ 10$^2$ CFU/mL on coconut based one. Bacterial activities on GAC were between 15.35 ∼ 29.06 $\mu\textrm{g}$ INT-formazan/g-GAC/h. Bacterial concentration and activities were higher in coal based GAC than coconut based one. Bacterial regrowth on GAC was clarified and regrowth effect of coal-based GAC was higher than that of coconut-based one.

식물계활성탄과 석탄계활성탄에서의 세균재생장 비교

정수용 입상활성탄 (granular activated carbon, GAC)으로 사용되는 식물계와 석탄계 활성탄의 미생물 재생장 현상을 파악하고 비교하기 위해 활성탄 칼럼을 대상으로, 유입수와 유출수 비교와 함께 활성탄 상의 종속영양세균의 분포와 활성을 분석하였다. 활성탄 칼럼은 총유기탄소와 잔류염소를 잘 제거하였으며 이온은 잘 제거하지 못하는 것을 알 수 있었으며, 칼럼 유출수의 세균수는 10일째 파과 (breakthrough)가 발생한 후 증가하여 최종적으로 석탄계와 식물계 활성탄에서 각각 1.1 ${\times}$ $10^3$, 6.2 ${\times}$ $10^2$ CFU/mL로 나타났다. 칼럼 내부 활성탄 상의 미생물 활성은 GAC-C가 15.35~29.06$\mu\textrm{g}$ INT-formazan/g-GAC/h이었고, 세균수와 세균활성 모두 석탄계가 조금 높았다. 입상활성탄 상의 미생물 재생장 현상이 확인되었고, 석탄계 활성탄이 야자계 활성탄보다 미생물 재생장 유발 효과가 큰 것으로 판명되었으며, 활성탄 상의 세균에 의한 유기물 제거능력이 확인되었다.