Estimating the Removal of Anthropogenic Organic Chemicals from Raw Drinking Water by Coagulation Flocculation
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 1
Abstract
A mathematical model was developed to estimate the efficacy of coagulation–flocculation treatment for removing neutral hydrophobic organic chemicals from raw drinking water. The model assumed that the only significant removal mechanism was the destabilization and settling of organic matter containing sorbed anthropogenic organic compounds. The model was validated with standard jar tests using compounds with a range of hydrophobicities , including contaminant candidate list chemicals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and endocrine disrupting chemicals. Final concentrations of test compounds after coagulation and flocculation were in good agreement with model estimations for synthetic waters composed of Aldrich (Milwaukee, WI) humic acid solutions. The final compound concentrations in coagulated natural waters from two drinking water reservoirs were about 80% lower than those estimated with the model. Overestimations of treated water concentrations by the model were attributed to an increase in sorption by natural organic matter when coiled in aluminum hydroxide flocs, compared to sorption to dispersed natural organic matter in untreated water.
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Acknowledgments
Funding for this research was provided by the Crompton Chemical Corporation and the Environmental Engineering Program at the Univ. of Connecticut. Propargite was kindly donated by Dr. Mark Schocken of the Crompton Chemical Corporation. The authors thank Mr. Kevin Walsh and Mr. Ray Baral of the Connecticut Water Company, and the Willimantic Water Department for their cooperation and assistance in obtaining raw water samples and providing plant operation data. The writers also acknowledge the contributions of three anonymous reviewers who provided valuable comments on this manuscript.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131 • Issue 1 • January 2005
Pages: 108 - 118
Copyright
© 2004 ASCE.
History
Received: Mar 6, 2003
Accepted: Nov 11, 2003
Published online: Jan 1, 2005
Published in print: Jan 2005
Notes
Note. Associate Editor: Mark. J. Rood
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