THE EFFECT OF MOLECULAR-OXYGEN ON THE ACTIVATED CARBON ADSORPTION OF NATURAL ORGANIC-MATTER IN OHIO RIVER WATER

Recently published data show that the adsorptive capacity of granular activated carbon for phenols increases significantly in the presence o f molecular oxygen (Vidic, Suidan, Traegner and Nakhla, 1990). In this study, the effect of molecular oxygen on the adsorptive capacity of a ctivated carbon for the natural organic matter present in Ohio River w ater was investigated. This source of natural organic matter was selec ted because it is a natural surface water and represents Cincinnati's main drinking water supply. Isotherm studies using pulverized activate d carbon were conducted during the first week of each month of the yea r 1992. Adsorption isotherms were conducted on water from two stages o f treatment (raw water directly pumped from the Ohio River and settled water from the California Drinking Water Treatment Plant, Cincinnati, Ohio). Investigations were conducted in the presence and absence of m olecular oxygen. An appreciable increase in the adsorptive capacity of activated carbon for natural organic matter was noticed when molecula r oxygen was present in the test environment. The adsorption isotherms were further described by fractionating the unknown matrix into a non adsorbable fraction and four fictive components of different adsorbab ilities.