Biological Activated Carbon Treatment for Removing BTEX from Groundwater
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 10
Abstract
Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are common groundwater pollutants. Biological activated carbon (BAC) treatment is attractive because BTEX species are well-adsorbed on activated carbon and also easily biodegraded in the adsorber. The inoculated activated carbon columns quickly became BAC systems; they removed most of the BTEX species present in the feed. Biodegradation was primarily responsible for the overall removal of the BAC systems, and the amounts of benzene, toluene, and o-xylene removed during the 2-week treatment period were all more than their respective isotherm capacities; 1,486, 1,463, 1,537, and 1,719 mg of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and o-xylene were removed in the 2.5-g BAC systems versus the available adsorptive capacities of 174, 731, 1,515, and 895 mg, respectively. The stable BAC systems were resistant to the shock loadings of higher flow and concentration and consumed less than the expected amount of dissolved oxygen. Bioregeneration enabled the long-term treatment capability of the BAC systems for removing BTEX and other pollutants without periodic carbon replacement. The coal-based activated carbon (SC) was more desirable than the coconut-based activated carbon (YK) because of its lower cost and higher degree of bioregeneration.
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Acknowledgments
This study was performed for the following projects: the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (WB1014038), Shanghai Natural Science Funds (11ZR1409400), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (41201302). Shanghai Xinchang Activated Carbon Company provided the two activated carbon samples. Jiani Qiao and Nuo Liu assisted in the experimental program of this study.
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Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 10 • October 2013
Pages: 1246 - 1254
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Sep 4, 2012
Accepted: May 9, 2013
Published online: May 11, 2013
Published in print: Oct 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Oct 11, 2013
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