Impact of drinking water preozonation on granular activated carbon quality and performance

A bench-scale laboratory system was set up to study the impact of residual ozone on the properties and performance of granular activated carbon (GAC). Simulating a carbon service life of two years, the study demonstrated that the effect of residual ozone was minimal and was the same as aerated or nitrogen-purged waters. Dissolved oxygen did modify the surface properties of GAG, with some impact on the adsorptive properties of exposed carbon. However, after thermal reactivation, the physical and adsorptive properties were comparable to reactivated virgin carbon.