Granular Activated Carbon Adsorption of 2-Methylisoborneol (MIB): Pilot- and Laboratory-Scale Evaluations
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136, Issue 9
Abstract
Pilot- and laboratory-scale granular activated carbon (GAC) studies were conducted to determine the extent of 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) removal from two conventionally treated waters. Two different GACs were evaluated, a wood-based carbon and a coal-based carbon. Greater MIB removal was observed with the wood-based GAC which contradicts previous studies using the powdered forms of the carbons. Equilibrium and kinetic parameters were derived from laboratory-scale adsorption isotherm and short bed adsorber (SBA) experiments, respectively, and used to describe the adsorption of MIB. However, the derived parameters were unable to accurately predict the removal of MIB in the pilot-scale columns using the homogenous surface diffusion model. This suggested that there were inherent limitations with the SBA experiments, in particular, the small volume of GAC and high filtration rates employed. Larger laboratory column experiments were shown to accurately simulate the pilot-scale columns. Adsorption still played a vital role in the removal of MIB, even though the GAC had been exhausted for the removal of organics in terms of dissolved organic carbon and ultraviolet absorbance measurements. Even after a 6-month operation, complete MIB removal was observed with up to 80% attributed to adsorption, and the remaining 20% attributed to biodegradation.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Acknowledgments
The writers gratefully acknowledge the generous assistance given by Professor Vernon Snoeyink and his team at the University of Illinois for the application of the HSDM and the implementation of the -labeled MIB method of analysis.
References
Anselme, C., Suffet, I. H., and Mallevialle, J. (1988). “Effects of ozonation on tastes and odors.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 80, 45–51.
Ashitani, K., Hishida, Y., and Fujiwara, K. (1988). “Behavior of musty odorous compounds during the process of water treatment.” Water Sci. Technol., 20, 261–267.
Carter, M. C., Weber, W. J., Jr., and Olmstead, K. P. (1992). “Effects of background dissolved organic matter on TCE adsorption by GAC.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 84, 81–91.
Chen, G., Dussert, B. W., and Suffet, I. H. (1997). “Evaluation of activated carbons for removal of methylisoborneol to below odor threshold concentration in drinking water.” Water Res., 31, 1155–1163.
Cook, D., Newcombe, G., and Sztajnbok, P. (2001). “The application of powdered activated carbon for MIB and geosmin removal: Predicting PAC doses in four raw waters.” Water Res., 35, 1325–1333.
Ebie, K., Li, F., Azuma, Y., Yuasa, A., and Hagashita, T. (2001). “Pore distribution effect of activated carbon in adsorbing organic micropollutants from natural water.” Water Res., 35, 167–179.
Elhadi, S. L. N., Huck, P. M., and Slawson, R. M. (2006). “Factors affecting the removal of geosmin and MIB in drinking water biofilters.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 98, 108–119.
El-Merraoui, M., Aoshima, M., and Kaneko, K. (2000). “Micropore size distribution of activated carbon fiber using the density functional theory and other methods.” Langmuir, 16, 4300–4304.
Gillogly, T. E. T. (1998). “MIB adsorption in drinking water treatment.” Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of Illinois, Champaign, Ill.
Gillogly, T. E. T., Snoeyink, V. L., Newcombe, G., and Elarde, J. R. (1999a). “A simplified method to determine the powdered activated carbon does require to remove methylisoborneol.” Water Sci. Technol., 40, 59–64.
Gillogly, T. E. T., Snoeyink, V. L., Vogel, J. C., Wilson, C. M., and Royal, E. P. (1999b). “Determining GAC bed life.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 91, 98–110.
Glaze, W. H., et al. (1990). “Evaluating oxidants for the removal of model taste and odor compounds from a municipal water supply.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 82, 79–84.
Graham, D., and Hayes, K. P. (1998). “Application of solid phase microextraction for the analysis of off-flavours in water.” Proc., WaterTECH Conf., Australian Water Association, Australia.
Hartig, T. P., Horkan, K., Donkin, P., Kimpton, C., and Healy, D. (1995). “The removal of cyanobacterial tastes, odors and toxins by GACs manufactured from various raw materials.” Proc., 16th Federal AWWA Convention, Australian Water Association, Australia, 167–173.
Hayes, K. P., Graham, D. K., Simpson, K. L., and Stockham, P. C. (1996). “Off-flavours in drinking water—Experiences of a South Australian water authority.” Technical Proc., 10th IWSA—ASPAC Regional Conf. and Exhibition, International Water Supply Association, Hong Kong, 189–197.
Hepplewhite, C. (2000). “The isolation, fractionation and characterization of NOM from water and its effect on the adsorption of taste and odour compounds by activated carbon.” Ph.D. dissertation, Univ. of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia.
Ho, L., Newcombe, G., and Croué, J. -P. (2002). “Influence of the character of NOM on the ozonation of MIB and geosmin.” Water Res., 36, 511–518.
Huber, L., Zimmer, G., and Sontheimer, H. (1989). “Powdered or granular activated carbon for micropollutant removal.” Aqua, 38, 118–130.
Kilduff, J. E., Karanfil, T., and Weber, W. J., Jr. (1998). “TCE adsorption by GAC preloaded with humic substances.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 90, 76–89.
Knappe, D. R. U., Matsui, Y., Snoeyink, V. L., Roche, P., José Prados, M., and Bourbigot, M. -M. (1998). “Predicting the capacity of powdered activated carbon for trace organic compounds in natural waters.” Environ. Sci. Technol., 32, 1694–1698.
Knappe, D. R. U., Snoeyink, V. L., Matsui, Y., José Prados, M., and Bourbigot, M. -M. (1994). “Determining the remaining life of a granular activated carbon (GAC) filter for pesticides.” Water Supply, 14, 1–14.
Knappe, D. R. U., Snoeyink, V. L., Roche, P., José Prados, M., and Bourbigot, M. -M. (1999). “Atrazine removal by preloaded GAC.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 91, 97–109.
Lalezary, S., Pirbazari, M., and McGuire, M. J. (1986). “Oxidation of five earthy-musty taste and odor compounds.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 78, 62–69.
Li, Q., Snoeyink, V. L., Marinas, B. J., and Campos, C. (2003). “Pore blockage effect of NOM on atrazine adsorption kinetics of PAC: The roles of PAC pore size distribution and NOM molecular weight.” Water Res., 37, 4863–4872.
MacKenzie, J. A., Tennant, M. F., and Mazyck, D. W. (2005). “Tailored GAC for the effective control of 2-methylisoborneol.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 97, 76–87.
Nerenberg, R., Rittmann, B. E., and Soucie, W. J. (2000). “Ozone/biofiltration for removing MIB and geosmin.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 92, 85–95.
Newcombe, G. (2002). “Removal of algal toxins from drinking water using ozone and GAC.” AwwaRF Rep. No. 90904, American Water Work Association, Denver.
Newcombe, G., Collet, A., Drikas, M., and Roberts, B. (1996). “Granular activated carbon pilot plant studies.” Water: J. Australian Water Association, 23, 29–31.
Newcombe, G., and Cook, D. (2002). “Influences on the removal of tastes and odours by PAC.” J. Water Supply: Res. Technol.-AQUA, 51, 463–474.
Newcombe, G., Drikas, M., and Hayes, R. (1997). “Influence of characterised natural organic material on activated carbon adsorption: II. Effect of pore volume distribution and adsorption of 2-methylisoborneol.” Water Res., 31, 1065–1073.
Newcombe, G., Morrison, J., Hepplewhite, C., and Knappe, D. R. U. (2002a). “In the (adsorption) competition between NOM and MIB, who is the winner, and why?” Water Sci. Technol.: Water Supply, 2, 59–67.
Newcombe, G., Morrison, J., Hepplewhite, C., and Knappe, D. R. U. (2002b). “Simultaneous adsorption of MIB and NOM onto activated carbon: II. Competitive effects.” Carbon, 40, 2147–2156.
Pelekani, C., and Snoeyink, V. L. (1999). “Competitive adsorption in natural water: Role of activated carbon pore size.” Water Res., 33, 1209–1219.
Pendleton, P., Wong, S., Schumann, R., Levay, G., Denoyel, R., and Rouquerol, J. (1997). “Properties of activated carbon controlling 2-methylisoborneol adsorption.” Carbon, 35, 1141–1149.
Pirbazari, M., Ravindran, V., Badriyha, B. N., Craig, S., and McGuire, M. J. (1993). “GAC adsorber design protocol for the removal of off-flavors.” Water Res., 27, 1153–1166.
Randtke, S. J., and Snoeyink, V. L. (1983). “Evaluating GAC adsorptive capacity.” J. Am. Water Works Assoc., 75, 406–415.
Ridal, J., Brownlee, B., McKenna, G., and Levac, N. (2001). “Removal of taste and odour compounds by conventional granular activated carbon filtration.” Water Qual. Res. J. Canada, 36, 43–54.
Rittmann, B. E., Gantzer, C. J., and Montiel, A. (1995). “Biological treatment to control taste-and-odor compounds in drinking water treatment.” Advances in taste-and-odor treatment control, I. H. Suffet, J. Mallevialle, and E. Kawczynski, eds., American Water Works Association Research Foundation, Denver, 209–246.
Sontheimer, H., Crittenden, J. C., and Summers, R. S. (1988). Activated carbon for water treatment, 2nd Ed., DVGW-Forschungsstelle, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Suffet, I. H., Corado, A., Chou, D., Butterworth, S., and McGuire, M. J. (1993). “AWWA taste and odor survey.” Proc., Water Quality Technology Conf., American Water Works Association, Denver, 1785–1831.
Sugiura, N., Nishimura, O., Kani, Y., Inamori, Y., and Sudo, R. (1997). “Evaluation of activated carbons for removal of musty odor compounds in the presence of competitive organics.” Environ. Technol., 18, 455–459.
Summers, R. S., et al. (1992). “Standardized protocol for the evaluation of GAC.” Rep. Prepared for AWWA Research Foundation, American Water Works Association (AWWA), Denver.
Vik, E. A., Storhaug, R., Naes, H., and Utkilen, H. C. (1988). “Pilot scale studies of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol removal.” Water Sci. Technol., 20, 229–236.
Wang, H., Ho, L., Lewis, D. M., Brookes, J. D., and Newcombe, G. (2007). “Discriminating and assessing adsorption and biodegradation removal mechanisms during granular activated carbon filtration of microcystin toxins.” Water Res., 41, 4262–4270.
Weber, W. J., Jr., and Liu, K. T. (1980). “Determination of mass transport parameters for fixed bed adsorbers.” Chem. Eng. Commun., 6, 49–60.
Yagi, M., Nakashima, S., and Muramoto, S. (1988). “Biological degradation of musty odor compounds, 2-methylisoborneol and geosmin, in a bio-activated carbon filter.” Water Sci. Technol., 20, 255–260.
Yuasa, A. (1982). “A kinetic study of activated carbon adsorption processes.” Ph.D. dissertation, Hokkaido Univ., Sapporo, Japan.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 136 • Issue 9 • September 2010
Pages: 965 - 974
Copyright
© 2010 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 13, 2009
Accepted: Jan 27, 2010
Published online: Jan 29, 2010
Published in print: Sep 2010
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.