You are here:
Glyphosate Removal from Drinking Water
Citation:
Speth*, T F. Glyphosate Removal from Drinking Water. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Reston, VA, 119(6):1139-1157, (1993).
Impact/Purpose:
information
Description:
Activated-carbon, oxidation, conventional-treatment, filtration, and membrane studies are conducted to determine which process is best suited to remove the herbicide glyphosate from potable water. Both bench-scale and pilot-scale studies are completed. Computer models are used to evaluate the results. The activated-carbon results show that glyphosate adsorbs very strongly in detailed water, but has a much lower capacity in Ohio River water. The jar-test studies with an alum congulant show that as turbidity is removed, so is glyphosate. The majoprity of the glyphosate removal occurs as turbidity is reduced below 2 nephelometric turbidity (NTUs). Powered-activated-carbon treatment is ineffective. Ultrafiltration membranes and 0.45 um filters do not remove glyphosate in Ohio River water even though the effluent turbidity is reduced below 0.2 NTU. The oxidation results indicate that glyphosate is easily destroyed by chlorine and ozone. Chlorine dioxide, permanganate, and hydrogen pereoxide are less successful. These conventional-treatment and adsorption results are confirmed by pilot-scle studies.
