Utilization of granular activated carbon adsorber for nitrates removal from groundwater of the Cluj region

Abstract

The level of nitrates from groundwater from Cluj County and other areas from Romania have increased values, exceeding or getting close to the allowed limit values, putting in danger human and animal heath. In this study we used granular activated carbon adsorbent (GAC) for nitrate (NO ⁻ ₃) removal for the production of drinking water from groundwater of the Cluj county. The influences of the contact time, nitrate initial concentration, and adsorbent concentration have been studied. We determined the equilibrium adsorption capacity of GAC, used for NO ⁻ ₃ removal and we applied the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. Ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used for process characterization. We also determined: pH, conductivity, Total Dissolved Solids and Total Hardness. The GAC adsorbents have excellent capacities of removing nitrate from groundwater from Cluj County areas.

Keywords:

• Adsorption
• adsorption isotherms
• groundwater
• granular activated carbon
• nitrates.

Acknowledgment

This work was funded by the Doctoral School of the Faculty of Materials and Environment Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. The authors would like to acknowledge their supervisor from Someş Water Company for his support and assistance in pursuing this research.