In this work, the characterization of adsorption of Cu, Zn and Cd on granular activated carbon in water has been studied. The factors that affect adsorption in boundary between activated carbon and wastewater are concentration, temperature, contact time, pH and so on. As the result of this study, the maximum adsorption amount of Cu occurred near pH 7, while that of Zn and Cd was near pH 9.6 and 10, respectively. As contact time and temperature are transformed, such factors as optimum contact time and temperature are taken into consideration in an adsorptive process of heavy metal because an adsorption and a reducing process occur. In isotherm of Freundlich, 1/n values of Cu, Cd capacity were between 0.16 and 0.5.

The adsorption experiment of phenol(Ph) from aqueous solution on granular activated carbon was studied in order to design the fixed-bed adsorption column. The experimental data were analyzed by unsteady-state, one-dimensional heterogeneous model. Finite element method(FEM) was applied to analyze the sensitivity of parameter and to predict the fixed-bed adsorption column performance on operation variable changes. The prediction model showed similar effect to mass transfer and intraparticle diffusion coefficient changes suggesting that both parameter present mass transfer rate limits for GAC-phenol system. The Freundlich constants had a greater effect than kinetic parameters for the performance of fixedbed adsorption column. FEM solution facilitated prediction of concentration history in solution and within adsorbent particle.

The Dongbok lake water before and after alum coagulation and activated carbon adsorption were analyzed in terms of organic contents, molecular weight distributuin (MWD), and UV-absorbance. Dissolved organic compounds in the Dongbok lake were fractionated into three molecular size classes by gel permeation chromatography. The fractionation was reasonably successful in isolating compounds with MW>10,000 (Fraction Ⅰ) and those with 3,000MW (Fraction Ⅲ. The bulk of the dissolved carbon was present in compounds of molecular weight in the range of 3,000∼10,000. Alum coagulation preferentially treated molecules of high molecular weight, which has molecules larger than 10,000. The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) removal after activated carbon adsorption was high in the Fraction Ⅱ, Ⅲ. The A_260/DOC ratio after alum and activated carbon treatment was high in the Fraction Ⅰ, Ⅱ. This results suggest that the organics remaining after each treatment has a trihalomethane formation potential

Adsorption process using granular activated carbon(GAC) has been considered as one of the most effective water treatment technologies to remove humic acid which is recognized as trihalomethane(THM) precursor in chlorination. To design the most effective GAC process, it is necessary to conduct the test of adsorption performance by means of isothem, batch rate and column studies and to select the most effective activated carbon according to raw materials of GAC-lignite and coconut shell. The objective of this study is to investigate the adsorption performance of humic acid on two activated carbons- lignite activated carbon(LAC) and coconut shell activated carbon(CAC) made in Korea. It is available to represent UV-abs and trihalomethane formation potential(THMFP) as concentration of humic acid due to good relationship. The adsorption capacity of humic acid is not concerned with surface area of activated carbon but with pore size related to about 100 A, and then LAC forming at the extent of mesopore is found to be eight times more effective in adsorption capacity than CAC forming at micropore. The adsorption capacity of LAC and CAC is better at pH 5.5 than at pH 7. Pore and surface diffusion coefficients calculated from the diffusion model are 7.61×10 exp (13)㎡/sec, 3.52×10 exp(-15) ㎡/sec for CAC, and 3.38×10 exp (-12)㎡/sec and Ds=1.48×10 exp (-15)㎡/sec for GAC respectively. From the results of column test it shows that the performance of LAC is also better than CAC and the optimal EBCT(Empty Bed Contact Time) is 4.52min. and activated carbon removes selectively the components of humic acid to be easily formed to THM.

In order to research the adsorption removal characteristics of trace organic by-products in disinfection of drinking water by biological activated carbon(BAC), water samples disinfected with Cl_2, O_3 and ClO_2 after treatment by fluidized-bed system with water added with humic acid(l0㎎/L) were investigated the formation and the removal of trihalomethanes (THMs), and the trace organic by-products by gas chromatography(GC) & gas chromatography/mass selective detector(GC/MSD). Control was used by activated carbon(AC) and water added with hurnic acid(HA). The results were summarized as follow ; The THMs removal effect of BAC by chlorination was in lower 90 % than that of control(HA), the sorts of oxidants formed by Cl_2, O3 and ClO_2 were that O_3 was very fewer than Cl_2 or ClO_2 and that ClO_2 was fewer than Cl_2 The trace organic by-products were esters and phthalates etc. Based on results above, it is concluded that BAC was appeared the more desirable adsorption-degradation removal characteristics than that of AC.