Separation of surfactants from water by granular activated carbon/ultrafiltration hybrid process

The aim of the study was to determine the efficiency granular activated carbon (GAC) as foul control in ultrafiltration (UF) membrane process. The adsorptive parameters for triton x-100, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS), and N-dodecylpyridinium chloride on GAC were determined. The equilibrium data fit well to Langmuir adsorption isotherm rather than Freundlich model. Breakthrough curves were obtained from fixed bed experiments, and column parameter was calculated from it. For UF membrane alone and GAC/UF hybrid process, the percent retentions of the selected surfactants under study were determined and the declines in flux were observed. The percent retention was 4, 10, and 22 % for N-dodecylpyridinium chloride, SDBS, and triton x-100, respectively. In the presence of adsorbent, the improved percent retention was 87, 95, and 98 % for triton x-100, SDBS, and N-dodecylpyridinium chloride, respectively. The problems already reported for powdered activated carbon such as cake formation over membrane surface, long backwash time, and blackening of pipes were not observed for GAC.