Analysis of Carbon Versus Resin.
Abstract
The objective of this study was to establish a comparative evaluation, to include economics, of using either carbon adsorption (with and without regeneration capacity), polymeric resin adsorption, or a series combination of the two techniques in effectively treating 'pink' water. Load, assembly, and pack facilities and ammunition manufacture facilities discharge wastewater which is contaminated with explosives such as TNT, RDX, HMX, and tetryl. These waters are referred to as pink water. Being photochemically active, the alpha-TNT in this wastewater chemically changes and forms toxic, colored compounds. To effectively treat this pink water, two different types of adsorption techniques are being considered: carbon and resin adsorption. Several studies have been conducted on the laboratory-, pilot-, and plant-scale levels concerning the treatment of pink water. Results of these studies prove that both activated carbon and amberlite XAD-4 are capable of treating pink water and thus are able to remove TNT and other nitrobodies such as RDX and HMX from munition waste streams to the target level of less than 1 ppm of total nitrobodies. These studies have generated the following conclusions. (1) Amberlite XAD has greater capacity for TNT than has activated carbon, (2) Activated carbon has a higher capacity for RDX, HMX, and tetryl and better color removal than has Amberlite XAD, (3) Amberlite XAD is not completed effective in removing the color from a colored waste stream; if a waste stream were slightly colored, a carbon-polishing column placed after the resin column would remove the color, and (4) Both adsorbents will provide similar nitrobody leakage for similar streams.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1978
- Accession Number
- ADA053863
Entities
People
- James M. Szachta
Organizations
- United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center