Abstract
The removal of intermittently applied micropollutants in biological activated carbon (BAC) and sandfilter saturated by natural organic carbon (NOM) removal was examined. Bromophenol and phenol were used as target compounds for the removal of micropollutants such as pesticides. 200μg·l-1 (0.033mg·g-1 activated carbon) of bromophenol and phenol were independently applied to the BAC columns which have previously been used for 6-months and 20-months, and a sandfilter being used for 6-months. The 20-months-used BAC has reached breakthrough levels already.
The used BAC columns could remove almost all of the added bromophenol by adsorption. Sandfilter could remove micropollutants by biodegradation, but could not remove bromophonol applied. Phenol with lower adsorbability than bromophenol was also removed completely by BAC used for 20-months.
These results suggest that intermittently applied pesticides with similar adsorbabilities as phenol and bromophenol may be removed by used BAC which has reached breakthrough levels.
