Experimental and modeling investigations of wastewater filtration

The results of the investigation with the synthetic samples showed that all concentration-time profiles had a reversed 'S' shape, and at any given flow rate, the efficiency of the filtration increased when the height and/or diameter of the PPL column increased. However, it decreased when the flow rate increased. Under similar conditions, the filtration efficiency with municipal wastewater samples was much higher. The mathematical model predicted with more or less success the experimental data. Overall, this research confirmed that PPL can be used to remove HS. It also suggested that PPL may be able to remove HOC attached to HS. Nevertheless, further investigations are necessary to eliminate the release of background organics by PPL, and improve the model by taking into account the dual adsorption-filtration capability of its granules.