Tailored Granular Activated Carbon Treatment of Perchlorate in Drinking Water. ESTCP Cost and Performance Report
Abstract
Perchlorate is a concern in drinking water because of its high solubility and mobility, its effects on thyroid hormone production, and treatment cost. Although perchlorate removal technologies suitable for wellhead application exist, there is a need to develop additional, economical perchlorate removal technologies. In addition, conventional wellhead technologies are specific for perchlorate only and are unable to effectively treat volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are often co-contaminants. This project demonstrated the application of granular activated carbon (GAC) tailored (TGAC) for the removal of perchlorate in drinking water. The tailoring process adsorbs surfactants with quaternary ammonium groups to GAC, which dramatically increases the perchlorate removal capacity of the GAC, while still allowing the GAC to remove VOCs. The demonstration site was an operating drinking water treatment plant in Fontana, CA, a city located in the Inland Empire region of southern California. The Inland Empire's perchlorate plume is at least 6 miles long and impacts water supplies in four towns. Two field test installations were implemented; the first consisted of three vessels in series treating 38 gallons per minute (GPM) (0.14 m(3)/minute), and the second consisted of six smaller-scale treatment trains treating 1.5 GPM (0.0057 m(3)/minute). This cost and performance report summarizes the project; a full final report providing more details on the technology, test procedures, and data is available.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA554485
Entities
People
- Fred Cannon
- Trent Henderson