Removal of an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (17α-ethinyloestradiol) from Wastewater Effluent by Activated Carbon Adsorption: Effects of Activated Carbon Type and Competitive Adsorption

Abstract

Granular activated carbon has been extensively used for the adsorption of organic micropollutants for potable water production. In this study the removal of an endocrine disrupting chemical from wastewater final effluent by three types of granular activated carbon (wood, coconut and coal based) has been investigated in batch adsorption experiments and correlated with the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) and ultraviolet absorbance (UV). The results obtained demonstrated 17α-ethinyloestradiol (EE2) removals of 98.6%, 99.3%, and 96.4% were achieved by the coal based (ACo), coconut based (ACn) and wood based (AWd) carbons respectively at the lowest dose of carbon (0.1gl⁻¹). The other adsorbates investigated all exhibited good removal. At an equilibrium concentration of 7mgl⁻¹ the COD adsorption capacities were 3.16mg g⁻¹, 4.8 mg g⁻¹ and 7.1 mg g⁻¹ for the wood, coconut and coal based carbons respectively. Overall, the order of removal efficiency of EE2 and the other adsorbates for the three activated carbons was ACn > ACo > AWd. The adsorption capacities of the carbons were found to be reduced by the effects of other competing adsorbates in the wastewater effluent.