West Sales & Technical Support
East Sales & Technical Support
Granular Carbon Water Treatment
Activated carbon is widely used in water treatment for its excellent adsorption properties. It helps remove contaminants, improve taste and odor, and ensure water safety. The primary two types of activated carbon are manufactured from coal and coconut shells. Activated carbon can also be manufactured from many other types of organics (tree bark, banana peels) each will have different adsorptive features.
1. Adsorption of Contaminants
Activated carbon has a highly porous structure and a large surface area, allowing it to trap and hold various impurities through adsorption. This is particularly effective for:
- Organic Compounds: Removes pesticides, herbicides, and industrial chemicals.
- Chlorine & Chloramine: Commonly used in municipal water treatment but can cause taste and odor issues.
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): Includes petroleum hydrocarbons solvents, PFAS and PFOS compounds. and other pollutants.
- Taste & Odor Compounds: Eliminates compounds like geosmin and methylisoborneol (MIB), which cause musty smells.
- Heavy Metals: Can reduce lead, mercury, and other metals, though effectiveness varies.
2.Types of Activated Carbon Used
- Granular Activated Carbon (GAC): Used in large-scale filtration systems, including municipal water plants and home filtration units.
- Powdered Activated Carbon (PAC): Often added to water in treatment plants to remove contaminants before sedimentation and filtration.
3. Estimating Quantity Needed for Treatment
- The Iodine Number: is a measure of the amount of iodine that can be adsorbed by a given mass of carbon. It’s a way to determine the porosity and surface area of carbon and is often used to characterize activated carbons. The iodine number is reported in milligrams of iodine per gram of carbon (mg/g). The iodine number is helpful in comparing different types or manufactures of activated carbon.
- Adsorption Isotherms: are needed for quantitative analysis of activated carbon processes in water treatment, it is necessary to have the adsorption isotherm for dissolved contaminate present in any natural water. Using the isotherm the specific amount of carbon required for removal up to the required limit can be determined.
4. Water Treatment Applications
- Municipal Water Treatment: Used to purify drinking water by removing chlorine, disinfection byproducts, and organic pollutants.
- Industrial Water Treatment: Helps remove harmful chemicals from wastewater before discharge.
- Aquariums & Fish Tanks: Maintains clean water by removing toxins and impurities.
- Home Water Filtration: Found in pitcher filters, faucet-mounted filters, and refrigerator water filters.
5. Limitations
- Does not effectively remove salts, minerals, or dissolved inorganic compounds (e.g., nitrates, fluoride).
- Limited effectiveness against bacteria and viruses, so it’s often combined with other treatments like UV or reverse osmosis.
Contact Pat or Bob at Hepure for specification sheets.