Article
Engineering, Environmental
Davin Sang, Nicolas Cimetiere, Sylvain Giraudet, Reasmey Tan, Dominique Wolbert, Pierre Le Cloirec
Summary: The addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) and a coagulant during the coagulation-flocculation process is a common option for tackling pollution peaks from organic micropollutants (OMPs) in drinking water production. However, the mechanisms and impact of operating conditions when using PAC and coagulant simultaneously have not been thoroughly explored. This study investigated the adsorption-desorption mechanisms and found that using coagulant + PAC reduced OMP adsorption efficiency, while increasing PAC dosage and contact time enhanced OMP removal efficiency. High concentration of natural organic matter (NOM) affected micropollutant adsorption by competing for adsorption sites. The study also highlighted the unexpected phenomenon of OMP desorption during the sedimentation step, which significantly reduced the overall efficiency of OMP removal.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Xin Huang, Huikai Liang, Ying Yu, Baoyou Shi
Summary: The combination of PAC and chlorine can effectively enhance the removal of organic matter in coagulation treatment of algae-laden water, but algae cells attached to PAC particles are more resistant to chlorine inactivation. The efficiency of 2-MIB removal in treating algae released micropollutants relies more on the dosage of chlorine.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Zheng-Xiong Zheng, Yi-Li Lin, Ruo-Fan Fang, Xiao-Yang Zhou, Zhi Liu, Zheng-Yu Dong, Tian-Yang Zhang, Bin Xu
Summary: This study investigated the combination sequence and time interval of chlorination and PAC adsorption in order to control algae inactivation, algogenic odor removal, and DBP formation. The results showed that pre-chlorination/post-PAC had the highest algae removal efficiency and slight effect on DBP removal. The time interval between chlorination and PAC adsorption had a significant impact on algae and odor compound control.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Salma Ebrahimzadeh, Bas Wols, Arianna Azzellino, Franca Kramer, Jan Peter van Der Hoek
Summary: Powdered activated carbon (PAC) is a promising technology for removing organic micropollutants (OMPs) in water treatment plants, especially when combined with rapid sand filters (RSFs). However, the mechanism of OMPs removal by the combination of PAC and RSF is not fully understood.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiayue Dong, Peizeng Yang, Jing Chen, Yuefei Ji, Junhe Lu
Summary: The removal and transformation of nitrophenolic byproducts in a simulated drinking water treatment train were examined. It was found that these byproducts can enter the treatment system and react with residual chlorine to form more hazardous compounds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Samylla Oliveira, Allan Clemente, Indira Menezes, Amanda Gois, Ismael Carloto, Linda Lawton, Jose Capelo-Neto
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of velocity gradients, mixing times, and powdered activated carbon (PAC) addition on the integrity of cyanobacteria. Results showed varying levels of sensitivity to shear stress among different cyanobacterial species, with some showing high resilience and others being more sensitive to shear stress.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Sangki Choi, Heejong Son, Young Mo Kim, Yunho Lee
Summary: A combined process of coagulation and powdered activated carbon (PAC) was tested as an alternative primary wastewater treatment option. The results showed that simultaneous coagulation and PAC treatment achieved higher removal rates of dissolved organic carbon and organic micropollutants.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Margarida Campinas, Rui M. C. Viegas, Cristina M. M. Almeida, Antonio Martins, Catarina Silva, Elsa Mesquita, Sofia Silva, Maria Rosario Coelho, Maria Joao Benoleil, Maria Joao Rosa, Vitor Vale Cardoso
Summary: Adding powdered activated carbon to traditional activated sludge reactors is an effective method for controlling pharmaceutical compound discharge in municipal wastewater treatment. The full-scale test showed that proper doses of powdered activated carbon significantly reduced the discharge of recalcitrant pharmaceutical compounds, improving effluent quality without increasing energy consumption. Additionally, powdered activated carbon had a positive effect on sludge treatment, increasing sludge production.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jiaxin Wang, Li Zhou, Jingsi Gao, Jia Zhu, Jianfeng Zhou
Summary: This study investigates the process optimization of powdered activated carbon (PAC) adsorption and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) pre-oxidation for the control of 2-Methylisoborneol (2-MIB) in drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). It was found that pre-oxidation with KMnO4 does not affect the adsorption of 2-MIB by PAC. However, when PAC and KMnO4 are added simultaneously, the adsorption efficiency of 2-MIB decreases with an increase in KMnO4 dosage. This is due to the shrinking of micropore volume caused by KMnO4. Therefore, it is recommended to dose KMnO4 early to avoid negative effects on PAC for 2-MIB removal. This study provides practical guidance and theoretical fundamentals for the operation of DWTPs using KMnO4 pre-oxidation and PAC for 2-MIB removal.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Oluchi Okoro, Kim Lompe, Isabelle Papineau, Morgan Solliec, Louis Fradette, Benoit Barbeau
Summary: The study found that ballasted flocculation alone is not efficient for benzene removal and the addition of PAC is necessary. Simultaneous addition of PAC and coagulant reduced benzene concentration substantially, but could not meet the Canadian threshold concentration.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Sijia Yu, Jingwei Wang, Zhiping Zhao, Weiwei Cai
Summary: This study proposes a method that combines fluidized granular activated carbon (GAC) and PAC with the UF process to improve water treatment efficiency. The results show that fluidized GAC particles effectively remove PAC deposition and fouling. PAC improves the effluent quality by adsorbing humic acid-like substances, and the energy consumption of GAC fluidization is lower compared to conventional fouling control methods in UF. This integrated GAC-PAC-UF process is technically feasible and economically viable, potentially achieving high permeate quality and reducing membrane fouling.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Javier Berges, Samuel Moles, Maria P. Ormad, Rosa Mosteo, Jairo Gomez
Summary: This study investigated the adsorption of four representative antibiotics on vegetal powdered activated carbon, with trimethoprim and sulfadiazine showing higher affinity for the adsorbent. The sorption isotherms and kinetics varied among different antibiotics, with trimethoprim following a Langmuir type isotherm and amoxicillin following a Freundlich type isotherm. Additionally, the pH conditions influenced the performance of the antibiotics, with sulfadiazine and amoxicillin showing better removal in acidic conditions and trimethoprim being favored in basic environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
J. Qian, P. Riede, G. Abbt-Braun, J. Parniske, S. Metzger, T. Morck
Summary: In this study, the efficacy of Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC)-Activated Sludge (AS) treatment in removing organic micropollutants (OMPs) was investigated through batch and pilot plant experiments. The results showed that the treatment was capable of achieving a high removal efficiency for nine OMPs. Additionally, intermittent dosage of PAC was found to stably remove OMPs, suggesting potential cost savings in terms of investment and maintenance.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ya-Ting Liu, Qing Xia, Wei-Wei Huang, Xue-Song Yi, Li-Li Dong, Fei Yang
Summary: This study demonstrates that the addition of powdered activated carbon can enhance the removal efficiency of pharmaceuticals in municipal wastewater treatment. The performance of different pharmaceuticals in the removal process varies, mainly depending on their biodegradability and adsorbability.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Lina Ramirez Arenas, Stephan Ramseier Gentile, Stephane Zimmermann, Serge Stoll
Summary: The study shows that Granular Activated Carbon is effective in adsorbing and removing PS nanoplastics, with higher adsorption capacity in Lake Geneva water containing DOM and cations. The adsorption is mainly driven by electrostatic interactions and pseudo-second-order kinetics, with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms not adequately describing the adsorption process.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)