• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2016

The characteristics of filter/adsorber granular activated carbon (F/A GAC) were investigated by measuring various parameters, which include surface area, pore volume, abrasion number, floater, and water-soluble ash. The correlation between parameters was also evaluated. Moreover, rapid small-scale column test (RSSCT) was conducted for adsorption characteristics. Thirteen F/A GAC were tested, and the average values of abrasion number and water-soluble ash were 88.9 and 0.15%, respectively. F/A GAC with the larger external surface area and greater mesopore volume had the lower abrasion number, which indicated that it was worn out relatively easily. Water-soluble ash of coconut-based GAC (about 2.6%) was greater than that of coal-based GAC (less than 1%), and the pH of solution was increased with GAC, which had the higher water-soluble ash. On the other hand, floater of thirteen F/A GAC was divided as two groups, which one group had relatively higher floater (2.7~3.5%) and the other group had lower floater (approximately 0.5%). The results of RSSCT indicated that coconut-based GAC (i.e. relatively higher water-soluble ash) had less adsorption capacity. Moreover, adsorption capacity of coal-based GAC with larger surface area and greater mesopore volume was superior to others.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.661-674
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• 2010

Bacterial biomass and its activity were measured in two kinds of granular activated carbon (GAC), the experimental and existing biofiltration system in a drinking water plant. The bacterial biomass was around 210 to 250 nmol P/g WW with phospholipid concentration at acclimation of ozonation treatment. The phospholipid biomass shows more or less a declining gradient along filter depth and no clear seasonality in its values. On the other hand, the microbial activity of [$^3H$]-thymidine and [$^{14}C$]-acetate incorporation within cells increased significantly along the filter depth, showing the difference of three fold between the upper and bottom layer. These factors support the different microbial composition or metabolic activity along the depth of GAC column. Turnover rates, the rate of bacterial biomass and production of biofilm, ranged from 0.26 /hr to 0.37 /hr, indicating a highly rapid recovery itself at amature state. In the non-ozonation treatment, the bacterial biomass was lower than in the ozonation and biological activity also declined towards the filter depth. The biomass levels during cessation of ozonation in the existing GAC filters were 68% of the actively ozonated state.

• Advances in environmental research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.35-51
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• 2017

The use of Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) and naturally occurring silica (Sand) as filtration media in water and waste water treatment systems is very common. While GAC offers the additional functionality of being an "adsorptive" filter for dissolved organics it is also more expensive. In this paper we present an experimental evaluation of the performance of a bed of GAC for colloid removal and compare the same with that from an equivalent bed of Sand. The experiments are performed in an "intermittent" manner over extended time, to "simulate" performance over the life of the filter bed. The experiments were continued till a significant drop in water flow rate through the bed was observed. A novel "deposition" and "detachment" rate based transient mathematical model is developed. It is observed that the data from the experiments can be explained by the above model, for different aqueous phase electrolyte concentrations. The model "parameters", namely the "deposition" and "detachment" rates are evaluated for the 2 filter media studied. The model suggests that the significantly better performance of GAC in colloid filtration is probably due to significantly lower detachment of colloids from the same. While the "deposition" rates are higher for GAC, the "detachment" rates are significantly lower, which makes GAC more effective than sand for colloid removal by over an order of magnitude.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.813-822
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• 2006

Soluble manganese removal was analyzed as a function of filter media, filter depth, presence or absence of chlorination, and surface manganese oxide concentration in water treatment processes. Sand, manganese oxide coated sand (MOCS), sand+MOCS, and granular activated carbon(GAC) were used as filter media. Manganese removal, surface manganese oxide concentration, turbidity removal, and regeneration of MOCS in various filter media were investigated. Results indicated that soluble manganese removal in MOCS was rapid and efficient, and most of the removal happened at the top of the filter. When filter influent (residual chlorine 1.0mg/L) with an average manganese concentration of 0.204mg/L was fed through a filter column, the sand+MOCS and MOCS columns can remove 98.9% and 99.2% of manganese respectively on an annual basis. On the other hand, manganese removal in sand and the GAC column was minimal during the initial stage of filtration, but after 8 months of filter run they removed 99% and 35% of manganese, respectively. Sand turned into MOCS after a certain period of filtration, while GAC did not. In MOCS, the manganese adsorption rate on the filter media was inversely proportional to the filter depth, while the density of media was proportional to the filter depth.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1101-1109
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• 2014

In this study we followed biofilm formation and development in a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter on pilot-scale during the 12 months of operation. GAC particles and water samples were sampled from four different depths (-5, -25, -50 and -90 cm from surface of GAC bed) and attached biomass were measured with adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) analysis and heterotrophic plate count (HPC) method. The attached biomass accumulated rapidly on the GAC particles of top layer throughout all levels in the filter during the 160 days (BV 23,000) of operation and maintained a steady-state afterward. During steady-state, biomass (ATP and HPC) concentrations of top layer in the BAC filer were $2.1{\mu}g{\cdot}ATP/g{\cdot}GAC$ and $3.3{\times}10^8cells/g{\cdot}GAC$, and 85%, 83% and 99% of the influent total biodegradable dissolved organic carbon ($BDOC_{total}$), $BDOC_{slow}$ and $BDOC_{rapid}$ were removed, respectively. During steady-state process, biomass (ATP and HPC) concentrations of middle layer (-50 cm) and bottom layer (-90 cm) in the BAC filter were increased consistently. Biofilm development (growth rate) proceed highest rate in the top layer of filter (${\mu}_{ATP}=0.73day^{-1}$; ${\mu}_{HPC}=1,74day^{-1}$) and 78%~87% slower in the bottom layer (${\mu}_{ATP}=0.14day^{-1}$; ${\mu}_{HPC}=0.34day^{-1}$). This study shows that the combination of different analytical methods allows detailed quantification of the microbiological activity in drinking water biofilter.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2008

This study aimed to investigate the biofilm formation, bacterial regrowth, and bacterial community structure in the granular-activated carbon (GAC) filter adsorbers (FAs) used in water treatment plants. In 2005 and 2006, raw water, settled water, GAC FA by depth, and filtered water were collected twice a year from water treatment plants (WTPs) B and S. The number of heterotrophic bacteria, including mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria, in such collected waters was investigated along with the total number of coliforms therein. Heterotrophic bacteria were detected in most samples, mainly at the surface layers of the GAC FAs, and fewer such bacteria were found in the lower and bottom layers. An increase in the bacterial number, however, was observed in the samples from various depths of the GAC FAs in WTPs B and S compared with the surface layers. An increase in the bacterial number was also detected in the filtered water. This may indicate that there is a regrowth of the bacteria in the GAC FA. Considering, however, that heterotrophic bacteria were not found in the filtered water, it can be deduced that most bacteria are removed in the chlorination process. Coliforms were detected at the surface layer of the GAC FAs, but their regrowth was not observed. MicroLog systems were used to identify the bacteria community distribution. Eight genera and 14 species, including Pseudomonas spp., were detected in WTP B, and 8 genera and 9 species, including Aeromonas spp., in WTP S. Further studies are required to elucidate their role in the biofilms in water treatment processes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.601-608
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• 2008

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of ozonation as pretreatment on the removal of dissolved or biodegradable organic matter(DOM or BOM), the variance of DOM fractionation, and microbial regrowth by pilot-scale granular activated carbon processes in which adsorption and biodegradability was proceeding due to long time operation. Regardless of point of ozonation applied, GAC processes with ozonation(i.e., Ozonation combined with GAC Filter-adsorber; Pre O$_3$ + F/A, Ozonation combined with GAC adsorber; Post O$_3$ + GAC) compared with GAC processes without ozonation(i.e., GAC Filter-adsorber; F/A, GAC adsorber; GAC) removed approximately 10 to 20% more of DOC, hydrophilic DOM(HPI), BDOC and AOC after long period of operation that biological activity was assumed to happen. Ozonation was not found to have a significant effect on the removal of DOC, but caused the decrease of AOC by approximately 20%. It was found that the fixed bacterial biomass on GAC media did not show a significant difference between the GAC with ozonation and GAC without ozonation as pre-treatment, whereas the HPC of column effluent was more biostable at Post O$_3$ + GAC compared with F/A or GAC.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1035-1042
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• 2005

Granular Activated Carbon(GAC) is widely used in drinking water treatment. At S and B Water Treatment Plant, GAC is used in place of granular media in conventional rapid filters(GAC Filter-Adsorber) for removal of Disinfection By-products(DBPs). The primary focus of this study is on the performance of existing filter-adsorber, and their operation. It was found that F/A process removed turbidity as effective as sand system. The ratio of Hydrophobic DOM (HPO) and hydrophilic DOM (HPI) fraction in the raw water at S and B WTP was similar. Filter Adsorber presented earlier DOC breakthrough and steady state condition which was contributed by biodegradation during operation period. The removal efficiency of DBPs were used to evaluate the filter performance. The DBPs concentration of F/A treated water was below treatment goal level (THM < $80\;{\mu}g/L$, HAA < $60{\mu}g/L$). The removal efficiency of THM decreased rapidly during operation period. However, HAA were removed steadily regardless of the influent concentration of HAA. These results indicate that the removal of THM depend upon the adsorption mechanism while the removal of HAA depend upon biodegradation as well as adsorption. The decrease of adsorption capacity and characteristic value of GAC may be attributed to the effect of high organic loading, residual free chlorine, coagulants, manganese oxidants and frequently backwashing. This study has confirmed that Filter adsorber process can be considered as effective alternatives for the removal of DBPs, especially HAA.

• 한국상하수도협회지
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• s.7
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• pp.112-118
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• 2004

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.709-717
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• 2006

This research was conducted to figure out the feasibility of several sorption materials to treat various pollutants in road runoff. In advance of the major feasibility test with various sorption materials, the separation process with $1.2{\mu}m$ filter was conducted and showed that slight portion of pollutants was removed(Orgamic pollutant - 20%, Nutrient salt - 50%, Heavy metals - 0~30%). To remove dissolved pollutants in runoff, various materials were tested through an isotherm sorption experiment. As a result, GAC showed most effective material among them to lessen most contaminants such as organic compounds and nutrients. On the other hand, ion-exchange resin and Zeolite showed limited usefulness on the some heavy metals. Freundlich model was most suitable for the current experiment data, and the amount of adsorbent (GAC) could calculated based on this model.