Disinfection by-products and microbial contamination in the treatment of pool water with granular activated carbon.

For swimming pools, it is generally agreed that free chlorine levels have to be maintained to guarantee adequate disinfection. Recommended free chlorine levels can vary between 0.3 and 0.6 mg/L in Germany and up to 3 mg/L in other countries. Bathers introduce considerable amounts of organic matter, mainly in the form of such as urine and sweat, into the pool water. As a consequence, disinfection byproducts (DBPs) are formed. Regulations in Germany recommend levels of combined chlorine of less than 0.2 mg/L and levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) of less than 20 microg/L. Haloacetic acids (HAAs), haloacetonitriles (HANs), chloropicrin and chloral hydrate are also detected in considerable amounts. However, these compounds are not regulated yet. Swimming pool staff and swimmers, especially athletes, are primarily exposed to these byproducts by inhalation and/or dermal uptake. In Germany, new regulations for swimming pool water treatment generally require the use of activated carbon. In this project, three different types of granular activated carbon (GAC) (one standard GAC, two catalytic GACs) are compared for their long time behaviour in pool water treatment. In a pilot plant operated with real swimming pool water, production and removal of disinfection byproducts (THMs, HAAs, AOXs), of biodegradable substances (AOC), of bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Legionella, coliforms, HPC) as well as the removal of chlorine and chloramines are monitored as function of GAC bed depth. Combined chlorine penetrates deeper in the filter bed than free chlorine does. However, both, free and combined chlorine removal efficiencies decrease over the time of filter operation. The decreases of removal efficiencies are also observed for parameters such as dissolved organic carbon, spectral absorption coefficient, adsorbable organic carbon and most of the disinfection byproducts. However, THMs, especially chloroform are produced in the filter bed. The GAC beds were contaminated microbially, especially with P. aeruginosa. The contamination was not removable by backwashing with chlorine concentrations up to 2 mg/l free chlorine.     

济南鹊华水厂深度处理改造工程设计及运行分析

济南鹊华水厂以引黄调蓄水库为水源,原水存在低浊高藻高臭味等问题,水厂原有工艺难以有效处理。为适应国家《生活饮用水卫生标准》(GB 5749—2006)要求,水厂将"混凝—沉淀—过滤—液氯消毒"工艺改造为"中置式高密度沉淀—臭氧催化氧化—上向流生物活性炭吸附—V型砂滤—液氯消毒"工艺,改造后的净水工艺对有机物、臭味等特征污染物去除效果明显,出厂水水质稳定达标。     

臭氧生物活性炭技术的工艺设计与运行管理

针对臭氧生物活性炭工艺应用中的关键问题,首先对工艺设计中的活性炭滤料选择、活性炭滤层结构设计、活性炭滤池选择、臭氧系统选择、臭氧接触池优化设计和复合预氧化设计等内容进行了分析和总结.然后对运行中存在的微生物安全性、大型微生物控制、活性炭滤池初滤水管理及pH控制、预臭氧和主臭氧工艺的运行管理等问题进行了总结,并提出了相应的解决方案.最后,建议今后应重点注意微生物安全性、臭氧副产物控制和工艺运行控制标准等问题.     

臭氧与活性炭深度处理微污染原水试验研究

采用"预臭氧氧化 常规处理 GAC/O3-BAC深度处理"工艺针对南方某市微污染原水进行中试研究.结果表明:预臭氧能明显提高浊度、有机物和THMFP的去除效果,在此条件下常规出水浊度平均值＜O.1 NTU,与无预处理相比,CODMn去除率提高17.52%,氯消毒后CHCl3浓度降低86.4%;O3-BAC工艺对有机物、CHCl3的去除效果和吸附寿命均优于GAC工艺,但生物膜的脱落会影响浊度的去除效果;随着炭床厚度增加,GAC滤池中,CODMn呈线性降低,而BAC滤池中,上部500～1 000 mm厚度内,CODMn快速降低并稳定在一定的水平上.     

An antimicrobial polycationic sand filter for water disinfection

A new sand filtration water disinfection technology is developed which relies on the antimicrobial properties of hydrophobic polycations (N-hexylated polyethylenimine) covalently attached to the sand's surface. The efficacy of the filter disinfection process was evaluated both with water spiked with E. coli and with real aqueous effluent from a wastewater treatment plant. For the former, over 7-log reduction in bacterial count was achieved. With real environmental wastewater secondary effluent samples, the E. coli concentration reduction declined to under 2 logs. This reduced inactivation efficiency compared to the model aqueous sample is likely due to the particulate or colloidal matter present that diminishes the contact between the immobilized polycation and the suspended bacteria. Preliminary sand washing methods were tested to assess potential 'regeneration' approaches. Potential advantages of the proposed approach over conventional disinfection in terms of eliminating harmful by-products and reducing energy consumption are discussed.     

纳滤、反渗透工艺深度处理饮用水研究

利用纳滤和反渗透膜深度处理工艺进行长江原水水质净化中试研究,工艺流程为长江原水→混凝沉淀→沙滤→颗粒活性炭→纳滤/反渗透,比较纳滤、反渗透膜工艺对污染物特别是微量有机物苯系物、三氯乙烯及消毒副产物等的去除效果。结果表明膜工艺预处理能够有效地去除原水的浊度和部分污染物,有利于纳滤、反渗透的稳定运行。纳滤膜工艺的最佳操作压力是0.4 MPa,此压力下产水量为250 L/h,回收率为24%,SO₄^2-,Cl^-,NO₃^-和总硬度的去除率分别为91.7%,85.4%,85.2%,89.3%;采用浓缩水回流能兼顾较高的回收率和良好的去除率。2种膜工艺对苯系物与三氯乙烯的去除率均在95.7%以上;对消毒副产物也有较好的控制效果,其中大部分的削减率在63.7%以上。与反渗透膜工艺比较,纳滤膜工艺具有较低的生产成本。纳滤膜工艺净化出水中可部分保留对人体有益的矿物质,使得净化后的出水成为优质健康饮用水。     

预臭氧化工艺对消毒副产物影响的生产性研究

通过进行预臭氧化—紫外线联合氯消毒工艺处理高温高藻期滦河水的生产性试验,检测和分析三卤甲烷生成势(THMFP)和卤乙酸生成势(HAAFP)的含量变化情况,研究了整套水处理工艺,尤其是预臭氧化单元对氯消毒副产物(DBPs)的去除效果。同时,研究了甲醛和溴酸盐这两种臭氧化副产物在处理过程中的生成情况。结果表明:在高温高藻期,预臭氧化单元对THMFP和HAAFP的平均去除率分别为12.43%和15.06%,整套工艺对THMFP和HAAFP的平均总去除率分别为39.33%和54.12%,氯消毒副产物前体物得到有效去除;出水中甲醛含量低于50μg/L,溴酸盐的含量小于6μg/L,臭氧氧化副产物得到了有效控制。     

Biofiltration as pre-treatment to water harvesting and recycling

This paper presents the results of the long term biofilter experiments conducted with raw stormwater collected from a canal at Carlton, in Sydney. Anthracite and granular activated carbon (GAC) were used as a single filter media in biofilter columns. Media heights of 75 and 40 cm were used. The filter columns were operated at filtration velocities of 0.12 and 0.25 m/h. The removal efficiency for turbidity and DOC for the GAC filter media were found to be 75% and almost 100% respectively. The removal efficiency for the anthracite filter was much lower. Molecular weight distribution analysis showed an almost similar trend to the DOC removal. Compared with anthracite filter media, the GAC biofilter removed a much larger range of organic compounds present in the stormwater. The GAC biofilter removes organic matter earlier as compared to anthracite. Based on a limited sample of stormwater, the removal efficiency for phosphorus was upto 74% and that of nitrogen was up to 30%. In general GAC filter shows higher heavy metal removal efficiency than anthracite. The removal of zinc, iron, lead and nickel were good. However the concentration of heavy metal in the raw surface water sample was low.     

UV disinfection of wastewater effluents for unrestricted irrigation.

Wastewater reuse in arid regions is important for the production of a water resource to be utilised for non-potable purposes and to prevent the environmental transmission of disease-causing agents. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of water quality on the comparative disinfection efficiency of viruses, bacteria and spores by UV irradiation. Furthermore, the microbial quality of effluent produced by coagulation, high rate filtration (HRF) and either UV irradiation or chlorination was determined. Using low pressure collimated beam, a UV dose of 80 mWs/cm2 was needed to achieve a 3-log10 inactivation of either rotavirus SA-11 or coliphage MS2, whereas over 5-log10 inactivation of E. coli was reached with a dose of only 20 mWs/cm2. B. subtilis inactivation was found to be linear up to a dose of 40 mWs/cm2 and then a tailing up to a UV dose of 120 mWs/cm2 was observed. It is worth noting that effluent turbidity of < 5 NTU did not influence the inactivation efficiency of UV irradiation. Operation of a pilot plant to treat secondary effluent by coagulation, HRF and UV disinfection at a UV dose of 80 mWs/cm2 resulted in the production of high quality effluent in compliance with the Israel standards for unrestricted irrigation (< 10 CFU/100 mL faecal coliform and turbidity of < 5 NTU). Sulphite reducing clostridia (SRC) were found to be more resistant than coliphages and F coliform for UV irradiation. The results of this study indicated that UV disinfection is suitable for the production of effluents for unrestricted irrigation of food crops.     

Nitrogen elimination from landfill leachates using an extra carbon source in subsurface flow constructed wetlands.

A three-stage constructed wetland for leachate treatment was monitored on a landfill at a pilot scale. The plant had been designed to achieve at least 75% nitrogen removal. NH4-N input concentration was 240 (median) up to 290 mgl(-1) and COD concentration was 455 to 511 mgl(-1), respectively. A 14 m2 vertical flow sand filter plus a 14 m2 horizontal flow sand filter followed by a 3.3 m2 vertical flow sand filter was chosen. Acetic acid was added to the horizontal flow system for denitrification. The results showed a very stable nitrification rate within the vertical flow system of 94% (median) at NH4-N loading rates of about 10 (median) up to 17 gm(-2)d(-1). Denitrification was mainly dependent on the dosing of acetic acid and could reach a maximum of 98%. One interesting effect was the production of nitrite in the horizontal flow sand filter. This could efficiently be eliminated by the subsequent vertical flow sand filter. The chosen concept proved to be very effective for nitrogen removal. In combination with a final activated carbon filter the COD effluent concentrations could be easily and safely controlled. The design of denitrification reed beds showed a further potential for optimization.     

合肥市滨湖新区塘西河再生水厂工程设计

本文介绍了合肥市塘西河再生水厂的工程设计参数、处理工艺流程及其设计特点。该工程污 水处理设计规模为3. 0万m3/d,处理工艺为预处理、AZ/0、膜生物反应池和二氧化氯消毒的一体化 联合工艺,污泥处理采用机械浓缩脱水一体机。水厂的出水水质要求同时满足《城镇污水处理厂污染 物排放标准》( GB 18918-2002)和《城市污水再生利用景观环境用水标准》( GB/T 18921-2002 )。全 厂区采用分散收集、生物和天然植物喷淋液的联合除臭技术。     

Secondary effluent reclamation: combination of pre-treatment and disinfection technologies.

A study was carried out to evaluate the efficiency of secondary effluent additional treatment, using a combination of pre-treatments (ring filter, physico-chemical and infiltration-percolation) followed by disinfection methods (chlorine dioxide, peracetic acid and ultraviolet light). Three different indicator microorganisms were determined: E. coli, total coliforms and somatic bacteriophages. The results show better efficiency of physico-chemical and infiltration-percolation processes. Bacteriophages were eliminated to a lesser extent than bacterial indicators in all the treatment systems. Chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid seems to be more efficient in disinfection than ultraviolet light when a ring filter is the pre-treatment used. For the same doses and contact times, the efficiency of the disinfection methods is higher when the pre-treatment used is the physico-chemical or the infiltration-percolation system. The final effluent quality from the physico-chemical treatment train and the infiltration-percolation treatment train, followed by the disinfectants, achieves an E. coli content that allows the reuse in most of the uses described in the Spanish legislation for wastewater reuse.     

Comparison of the nutrient removal efficiency of onsite wastewater treatments systems: applications of conventional sand filters and sequencing batch reactors (SBR).

When domestic wastewater was treated with different onsite applications of buried sand filters and sequencing batch reactors, good organic matter removal was common and effluent BOD7 concentrations from 5 to 20 mg/l were easily achievable. For total nitrogen, effluent concentrations were usually between 20 and 80 mg/l. Good phosphorus removal, even using special adsorption or precipitation materials, was difficult to achieve and large variations occurred. The median effluent concentration of total phosphorus in the most successful sand filter application was less than 0.1 mg/l and other sand filters and SBRs had the median concentrations varying from 1.7 to 6.7 mg/l. These results are based on one year in situ monitoring of 2 conventional buried sand filters, 6 sand filter applications with special phosphorus adsorbing media within the filter bed, 5 sand filters with separate tertiary phosphorus filtration and 11 small SBRs of three different types. The study was carried out in southern Finland during 2003-05. The whole project included monitoring of more than 60 plants of 20 different treatment types or methods, used in normal conditions to treat domestic wastewater. Evaluation of the different systems was made by comparing the measured effluent concentrations. In addition the effluent concentrations were compared to the discharge limits calculated according to the new Finnish regulation.     

Biological granulated activated carbon fluidized bed reactor for atrazine remediation.

To show that an adsorbing biofilm carrier (GAC) can be advantageous for atrazine bioremediation over a non-adsorbing carrier, fluidized bed (FB) reactors were operated under atrazine limiting concentrations using Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP as the atrazine degrading bacteria. The following interrelated subjects were investigated: 1) atrazine adsorption to GAC under conditions of atrazine partial penetration in the biofilm, 2) differences in atrazine degradation rates and 3) stability of atrazine biodegradation under non-sterile anoxic conditions in the GAC reactor versus a reactor with a non-adsorbing biofilm carrier. Results from batch adsorption tests together with modeling best described the biofilm as patchy in nature with covered and non-biofilm covered areas. Under conditions of atrazine partial penetration in the biofilm, atrazine adsorption occurs in the non-covered areas and is consequently desorbed at the base of the biofilm substantially increasing the active biofilm surface area. The double flux of atrazine to the biofilm in the GAC reactor results in lower effluent atrazine concentrations as compared to a FB reactor with a non-adsorbing carrier. Moreover, under non-sterile denitrification conditions, atrazine degradation stability was found to be much higher (several months) using GAC as a biofilm carrier while non-adsorbing carrier reactors showed sharp deterioration within 30 days due to contamination of non-atrazine degrading bacteria.     

臭氧-活性炭-反硝化生物滤池在污水再生回用中的应用

在酒仙桥污水处理厂建立200m3/d的示范工程进行高品质再生水的生产,在二级出水强化脱氮除磷的基础上,采用臭氧(O3)-活性炭(GAC)-反硝化生物滤池(DNBF)工艺进行试验研究。经过13个月的试验证明,该工艺由于O3在脱色除臭基础上,能够强化活性炭滤池的生物多样性及活性,从而使出水CODCr能够长期稳定在30mg/L以下,NH3-N小于1mg/L。在外加碳源CH3COONa条件下,系统经DNBF后出水TN小于2mg/L。同时试验发现,为了实现经济节能及良好的污水再生效果,DNBF和O3单元在流程中的位置设置非常关键,有别于污水二级处理工艺。     

给水生物处理工艺微生物特性研究

通过分析曝气生物滤池、生物活性炭滤池内微生物优势菌种、生物膜结构、生物膜量等特性,结合不同滤池微生物生长特点探讨不同类型生物滤池的挂膜特性以及对氨氮、亚硝酸盐氮和有机物的去除效果表现差异的原因;此外,通过进行生物活性炭滤池出水微生物菌种鉴定,分析经常规氯消毒后水质微生物安全性.试验结果表明,对炭滤出水采用次氯酸钠消毒,杀菌率达99.98%以上,但残留菌中检出有条件致病菌,需进一步研究其影响和对策.     

Advanced treatment for taste and odour control in drinking water: case study of a pilot scale plant in Seoul, Korea.

Taste and odour problems of tap water in Seoul are attributed to 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) and trans-1,10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol (geosmin), which are the result of metabolism of algae and chlorine for disinfection. This study was carried out to measure 2-MIB and geosmin in the raw water from the Han River, to investigate removal efficiency of GAC and BAC integrated with post-ozonation, and to minimise and quantify the required chlorine concentration as a final disinfectant through the candidate process.     

Removal of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol by biological filtration.

The quality of drinking water is sometimes diminished by the presence of certain compounds that can impart particular tastes or odours. One of the most common and problematic types of taste and odour is the earthy/musty odour produced by geosmin (trans-1, 10-dimethyl-trans-9-decalol) and MIB (2-methylisoborneol). Taste and odour treatment processes including powdered activated carbon, and oxidation using chlorine, chloramines, potassium permanganate, and sometimes even ozone are largely ineffective for reducing these compounds to below their odour threshold concentration levels. Ozonation followed by biological filtration, however, has the potential to provide effective treatment. Ozone provides partial removal of geosmin and MIB but also creates other compounds more amenable to biodegradation and potentially undesirable biological instability. Subsequent biofiltration can remove residual geosmin and MIB in addition to removing these other biodegradable compounds. Bench scale experiments were conducted using two parallel filter columns containing fresh and exhausted granular activated carbon (GAC) media and sand. Source water consisted of dechlorinated tap water to which geosmin and MIB were added, as well as, a cocktail of easily biodegradable organic matter (i.e. typical ozonation by-products) in order to simulate water that had been subjected to ozonation prior to filtration. Using fresh GAC, total removals of geosmin ranged from 76 to 100% and total MIB removals ranged from 47% to 100%. The exhausted GAC initially removed less geosmin and MIB but removals increased over time. Overall the results of these experiments are encouraging for the use of biofiltration following ozonation as a means of geosmin and MIB removal. These results provide important information with respect to the role biofilters play during their startup phase in the reduction of these particular compounds. In addition, the results demonstrate the potential biofilters have in responding to transient geosmin and MIB episodes.     

Investigation of opportunistic pathogens in municipal drinking water under different supply and treatment regimes.

Changing regulations to lower disinfectant byproducts in drinking water is forcing utilities to switch disinfection from chlorine to monochloramine. It is generally unknown whether this will impact positively or negatively on the microbiological quality of drinking water. A utility in Florida, using water with relatively high organic carbon levels from deep wells in several wellfields, made the decision to change its disinfection regime from chlorine to chloramine in order to meet the new regulations. To assess the impacts of such a change on the microbiology of its water supplies, it undertook a number of studies before and after the change. In particular, the presence of the opportunistic pathogens Legionella and Mycobacterium, and also the composition of drinking-water biofilms, were examined. A preliminary synthesis and summary of these results are presented here. Legionella species were widely distributed in source waters and in the distribution system when chlorine was the disinfectant. In some samples they seemed to be among the dominant biofilm bacteria. Following the change to monochloramine, legionellae were not detected in the distribution system during several months of survey; however, they remained detectable at point of use, although with less species diversity. A variety of mycobacteria (21 types) were widely distributed in the distribution system when chlorine was the disinfectant, but these seemed to increase in dominance after chloramination was instituted. At point of use, only four species of mycobacteria were detected. Other changes occurring with chloramination included (a) an altered biofilm composition, (b) increased numbers of total coliforms and heterotrophs and (c) nitrification of water storage tanks. The results suggested that consideration should be given to the microbiological effects of changing disinfection regimes in drinking-water and distribution system biofilms.     

Enhancement of nitrate removal in synthetic groundwater using wheat rice stone

To enhance the efficiency of nitrate removal from synthetic groundwater, wheat rice stone (WRS) and granular activated carbon (GAC) were employed as biofilm carriers for denitrification under different HRT (hydraulic retention time) and C/N ratios. Four different ratios of GAC to WRS (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0) were investigated to determine the most appropriate ratio of GAC and WRS. The NO(3)(-)-N, NO(2)(-)-N, COD levels and pH of the effluent were also investigated under various HRT and C/N ratios. The results showed that the column at a GAC/WRS ratio of 1.0 performed best under a C/N ratio of 0.9 and an HRT of 8 h, with 99% nitrate being removed. In addition, little nitrite accumulation and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were observed in effluent under these conditions. These results demonstrated that, with no addition of phosphor in the influent, the nitrate removal efficiency can be enhanced by WRS because WRS can leach trace elements and phosphor to promote the growth of bacteria.