Removal of hydrophilic pollutants from water with organic adsorption polymers - Part I. Adsorption behaviour of selected model compounds

The adsorbability of 2-aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonate, diuron, l-naphthol and natural organic matter (NOM) onto an organic polymer resin and onto activa ted carbon was investigated. Isotherms with the substances alone and in the presence of dissolved NOM were measured. There was a good adsorbability of diuron and l-naphthol on both sorbents. At low initial concentrations of t he compounds the activated carbon showed higher adsorptivity, whereas for h igh initial concentrations the polymer resin showed an equal or better adso rption behaviour. 2-Aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonate and the NOM showed favorab le adsorption behaviour to activated carbon but was only poorly adsorbed on the polymer resin. In the presence of NOM, the adsorbability of the single compounds decreased significantly on activated carbon. Nearly no influence was found for the adsorption of the pollutants on the resin. For the polym er resin, additionally, the breakthrough behaviour of the substances was in vestigated. The results obtained in the batch experiments for the single su bstances were confirmed. However, in the presence of NOM the breakthrough o ccurred at shorter times for all three substances. Regeneration of the resi n with isopropanol proved to be a good cleaning method. A recovery of 92-96 % of the substances was reached. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.