Abstract |
The primary objective was to examine the efficiency of using granular activated carbon (GAC) for the removal of organic contaminants in drinking water. Two basic full-scale systems were compared and evaluated -- a post-filtration adsorption GAC filter in series with a sand filter, and a combined filtration adsorption GAC filter. Both GAC systems effectively removed organic contaminants with the same relative adsorption efficiencies. Efficiencies were not reduced because of pore blockage by turbidity. A few organic substances (phthalates, n-alkanes, and substituted benzene derivatives) had little or no adsorptive affinity for GAC, however, at the micrograms/L level. |