AWWA WQTC65832

The objective of this study was the development of a comparative method to estimate the adsorbability of organic compounds on activated carbon. For this purpose, a classification of water pollutant adsorbabilities was developed, allowing for the evaluations for water treatment purposes. In practice, adsorption behavior of single compounds is characterized by breakthrough curves, which describe the efficiency of activated carbon filtration. Experimental small-scale column tests can be used to classify single compounds with regard to their adsorbability. In addition to such experimental tests, theoretic approaches to predict adsorption behavior of organic compounds from adsorbate properties using structure-activity-relationships were performed and evaluated within this study. To simulate transport behavior of single compounds in filter beds, information of mass transfer coefficients and equilibrium data are required. For kinetic data calculations still existing, the necessary data for a purely computed simulation of breakthrough curves were acquired by using a model for calculating equilibrium data. In comparison to results from experimental approaches, the developed assessment method for estimating the hazardous potential of contaminants occurring in raw waters proved to be applicable. In principle, a classification of adsorbabilities by means of simulating breakthrough curves and applying a special criterion regarding drinking water relevance is now possible. Includes 37 references, tables, figures.