Removal of Taste and Odor Causing Compounds from Drinking Water Sources by Peroxone Process: Laboratory and Pilot Scale Studies

ABSTRACT

Metabolites of some cyanobacteria and actinomycete species such as geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) are generally the sources of earthy and musty odor in surface waters. Peroxone process, that is a combination of ozone (O₃) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), has the potential to effectively remove these compounds. In this study, the removal of MIB with the peroxone process was investigated at both laboratory- and pilot-scale systems. Different H₂O₂:O₃ ratios with 2 mg/L O₃ dosage were applied for determining the optimum ratio of H₂O₂:O₃ for MIB removal. The optimum H₂O₂:O₃ ratio and contact time in the laboratory system were determined as 0.3 and 5 min, respectively, whereas they were 0.5 and 15 min for the pilot system, respectively. Although the performances of both systems were different at similar operating conditions, MIB removal efficiencies over 80% were achieved at the optimum conditions specific to laboratory and pilot scale.

KEYWORDS:

• Geosmin
• MIB
• peroxone process
• taste and odor
• water treatment
• cyanobacteria

Acknowledgements

The authors express their gratitude to Fatih Turan, General Director of ISKI. The authors would like to thank the Head of the Water Treatment Department and all staff in the Water Treatment Department of ISKI for their support.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI) with the project titled as “Evaluation of Operation Results with Hydrogen Peroxide and Ozone Oxidation (Peroxone) Process.”