• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1192-1197
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• 2006

Adsorbability of ionic and nonionic pharmaceuticals was studied using granular activated carbon(GAC). In a batch adsorption test of muticomponent solution, 500 mg/L of GAC dose removed all target compounds between 94 and 98% at initial concentration of 10 ${\mu}g/L$. Adsorption of ionic pharmaceuticals increased as pH was lowered toward to pKa, however adsorption capacity of nonionic pharmaceuticals showed insignificant variation with the changing pH. The enhanced adsorption capacity of ionic pharmaceuticals at lower pH was attributed to the corresponding increase in the molecular form of ionic pharmaceuticals with carboxylic group at low pH. In addition, decrease of pH increased hydrogen ion concentration in the bulk solution and the protons bound to the available sites on the carbon enhanced the removal of the ionic pharmaceuticals from solution. After 40 days of continuous operation, GAC column showed the removal of target compounds were removed by $93{\sim}99%$ at 15 min of EBCT mainly due to adsorption mechanism of GAC. At shorter EBCT than 15 min, breakthrough of CA, IBP and GFZ occurred earlier than the other ionic and nonionic pharmaceuticals. effect of EBCT on adsorption of nonionic pharmaceuticals was greater than ionic ones. This study showed that persitent pharmaceuticals found in drinking water treatment could be effectively controlled by adsorption in GAC process.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2012

In this study, The effects of three different biological activated carbon (BAC) materials (each coal, coconut and wood based activated carbons) and anthracite, empty bed contact time (EBCT) and water temperature on the removal of MK, HHCB and AHTN in BAC filters were investigated. Experiments were conducted at three water temperatures (5, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$) and four EBCTs (5, 10, 15 and 20 min). The results indicated that coal based BAC retained more attached bacterial biomass on the surface of the activated carbon than the other BAC, increasing EBCT or increasing water temperature increased the synthetic musk compounds (SMCs) removal in BAC columns. The kinetic analysis suggested a first-order reaction model for MK, HHCB and AHTN removal at various water temperatures (5, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$). The pseudo-first-order biodegradation rate constants and half-lives were also calculated for MK, HHCB and AHTN removal at 5, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$. The pseudo-first-order biodegradation rate constants and half-lives of MK, HHCB and AHTN ranging from 0.0082 $min^{-1}$ to 0.4452 $min^{-1}$ and from 1.56 min to 84.51 min could be used to assist water utilities in designing and operating BAC filters for SMCs removal.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.186-192
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• 2009

In this study, The effects of three different activated carbon materials (each coal, coconut and wood based activated carbons), empty bed contact time (EBCT) and water temperature on the removal of pharmaceutical 4 species (oxytetracycline, tetracycline, trimethoprime and caffeine) in BAC filters were investigated. Experiments were conducted at three water temperature (5, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$) and four EBCTs (5, 10, 15 and 20 min). The results indicated that coal based BAC retained more attached bacterial biomass on the surface of the activated carbon than the other BAC, increasing EBCT or increasing water temperature increased the pharmaceutical 4 species removal in BAC columns. In the coal-based BAC columns, removal efficiencies of oxytetracycline and tetracycline were 87~100% and removal efficiencies of trimethoprime and caffeine were 72~99% for EBCT 5~20 min at $25^{\circ}C$. The kinetic analysis suggested a firstorder reaction model for pharmaceutical 4 species removal at various water temperatures (5~$25^{\circ}C$). The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constants and half-lives were also calculated for pharmaceutical 4 species removal at 5~$25^{\circ}C$. The reaction rate and half-lives of pharmaceutical 4 species ranging from 0.0360~0.3954 $min^{-1}$ and 1.75 to 19.25 min various water temperatures and EBCTs, could be used to assist water utilities in designing and operating BAC filters.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.96-101
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• 2009

In this study, the effects of three different biological activated carbon (BAC) materials (each coal, coconut and wood based activated carbons), empty bed contact time (EBCT) and water temperature on the removal of sulfonamide 5 species in BAC filters were investigated. Experiments were conducted at three water temperatures (5, 15 and $25^{\circ}C$) and four EBCTs (5, 10, 15 and 20 min). The results indicated that coal based BAC retained more attached bacterial biomass on the surface of the activated carbon than the other BACs, increasing EBCT or increasing water temperature increased the sulfonamide 5 species removal in BAC columns. In the coal-based BAC columns, sulfachloropyridazine (SCP), sulfamethazine (SMT) and sulfathiazole (STZ) removal efficiencies were 30~80% and sulfadimethoxine (SDM), sulfamethoxazole (SMX) removal efficiencies were 18~70% for 5~20 min EBCT at $25^{\circ}C$. The kinetic analysis suggested a first-order reaction model for sulfonamide 5 species removal at various water temperatures (5~$25^{\circ}C$). The pseudo-first-order reaction rate constants and half-lives were also calculated for sulfonamide 5 species removal at 5~$25^{\circ}C$. The reaction rate and half-lives of sulfonamide 5 species ranging from 0.0094~0.0718 $min^{-1}$ and 9.7 to 73.7 min various water temperaturs and EBCTs in this study could be used to assist water utilities in designing and operating BAC filters for sulfonamide antibiotic compounds removal.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.276-285
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• 2006

When polluted stream water was treated with biological aerated filter(BAF) in pilot plant, all operation with 90, 60, 45 and 30 min of EBCT at fixed $0.1m^3air/m^2min$ of aeration showed 80% or higher treatment efficiency of particle materials(SS, turbidity and Chl.-a) and 85% or higher efficiency of ammonia nitrogen removal. It was thought that, in case of BOD, biological stability may sufficiently be assured with BAF because grade III or IV inflow water was changed to grade I for outflow water. In case of $COD_{Mn}$, about 60% of removal efficiency was found. When the mechanism of the result was investigated, about 30% of COD materials was produced by algae clogged in the reactor. There was almost no biological decomposition because specific substrate utilization rate of algogenic organic materials were $0.0245mg{\cdot}COD_{Mn}/mg{\cdot}VSS{\cdot}day$, thus partial backwashing(washing the media in 1 m upper of the reactor once a day) was required. It is thought that elevation of removal rate about 10% of $COD_{Mn}$ and 5.5% of $BOD_5$ could be obtained with partial backwashing resulting in assurance of biologically more stable raw water and that saving backwashing water may be significant.