BIOLOGICAL FILTRATION FOR BOM AND PARTICLE REMOVAL - A CRITICAL-REVIEW

Biological filtration, an important process step for the production of microbially safe and aesthetically pleasing drinking water, has attra cted increased attention within the water industry. In many cases, the most economical way to implement biological rapid filtration is to ac hieve biodegradable organic matter (BOM) removal and particle removal within the same filter unit, i.e., single-stage biological filtration. This requires optimization of the filtration process, keeping in mind both treatment goals: BOM and particle removal. This article presents a critical review of the key parameters and engineering variables inf luencing the biological performance, as well as the conventional perfo rmance, of biologically active filters. Several areas requiring furthe r research have been identified.