EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES FOR EVALUATION OF ADSORPTION FILTERS IN REMOVING HEAVY METALS AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS FROM DRINKING WATER

Wang, L.K., and Wang, M.H.S. (2024). Experimental procedures for evaluation of adsorption filters in removing heavy metals and other contaminants from drinking water. In: "Environmental Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)", Wang, L.K., Wang, M.H.S., and Pankivskyi, Y.I. (editors). Volume 2024, Number 11, November 2024; 17 pages. Lenox Institute Press, MA, USA. ..... ABSTRACT: The experimental procedures introduced in this report can be used to evaluate the performance of an adsorption filter containing adsorbent (such as Granular Activated Carbon) in removing contaminants (including lead, other heavy metals or contaminants) from tap water. Included in this document are: (a) experimental design; (b) sampling; and (c) water quality monitoring program. The objectives of the experimental procedures are: (a) to investigate the properties of the an adsorbent, such as granular activated carbon (GAC); (b) to define the system parameters that are required for the design of an adsorption filter, and (c) to develop the operational characteristics of an adsorption filter. As a typical example, the GAC is evaluated in these proposed experimental procedures by: (a) adsorption kinetics study; (b) adsorption isotherm study; (c) adsorption breakthrough study; and (d) GAC characteristics study. Each of the adsorption experiments hereinafter described employs a synthetic contaminant solution in tap water as the test solution or challenge water. The conditions to be used in the adsorption studies follow the NSF (National Sanitation Foundation) Standard Number 53 (June, 1988), the 1988 Annual Book of ASTM Standard Guidelines (Part 31), and the 1988 WQA (Water Quality Association) recommended industrial standards for household and commercial water filters (S-200). The GAC characteristics study is conducted in accordance with the 1974 AWWA (American Water Works Association) Standard for Granular Activated Carbon (B604-74).