Removal of Trihalo Methanes Using Activated Carbon Prepared from Agricultural Solid Wastes

Abstract

High chlorine dosages are used in some drinking water plants to overcome the deficiencies in the treatment to at least ensure a supply of microbiologically safe water to the population. This fact and the increment of natural organic matter (NOM) in the aquatic resources due to rainfall increases and anthropogenic activities are becoming a critical concern, due to the formation of chlorination by-products such as trihalomethanes (THM), which are carcinogenic substances. Egypt drinking water system using new treatments is essential to meet the quality guidelines. Trihalomethanes are carcinogenic by-products of disinfection that are present in drinking water. In the present research, adsorption was employed for the removal of THMs found in water supply systems. The effects of pH, contact time, adsorbents and adsorbate concentration on the adsorption system were investigated. The Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption isotherm models were used to analyse the resulting adsorption data. The kinetics of THM removal was found to follow the pseudo-second-order model rather than the Langmuir–Hinshelwood pseudo-first-order model.