Adsorption of trihalomethanes by humin: Batch and fixed bed column studies

The objective of the present work was to assess the performance of batch and fixed bed column systems, using humin in natura and immobilized on sodium silicate, respectively, for the adsorption of the principal trihalomethanes (THMs) found in water supply systems. Kinetically, adsorption of THMs by humin follows a pseudo-second order reaction, with more than 50% removal in the first 5 min for all compounds studied, and equilibrium described by the Freundlich model reached in 240 min. The THM adsorption results were significant at p < 0.05 for both batch (74.6-83.2% removal) and column (99.7% removal in optimized tests) experiments, and were significantly (p < 0.05) influenced by flow rate and bed height. The work demonstrates the potential of humin for removal of THMs.