Making GAC adsorption affordable

Two crucial uses of granular activated carbon (GAC) in water/wastewater treatment are the removal of synthetic organic chemicals (SOCs) and the removal of natural background organic matter (BOM) that may produce undesirable disinfection by-products (DBPs). However, this treatment process may prove to be expensive if not properly designed. The objective of this paper is to provide an outline of the adsorption theory and the mechanisms responsible for adsorption process, thus identifying the critical factors controlling the adsorption process and to illustrate their role in designing the process to be cost-competitive.