ΕΘΝΙΚΟ ΜΕΤΣΟΒΙΟ ΠΟΛΥΤΕΧΝΕΙΟ

C/C 0 %
During the second batch experiment the column B was shut down in the
middle of the batch, leaving the system with only three columns. Since none of the
EC’s had breakthrough at column A when column B was shut down the system
continued assuming column C as column B and column D as column C. Also, in the
system many hydraulic problems had arisen and microbiological activity was
observed, particularly in column A.
From the results of this batch experiment breakthrough curves for each EC
were made (for example Figure 3 shows the breakthrough curves from the second
batch experiment of the EDC Bisphenol-A and the PPCP Ibuprofen) and the
breakthrough limits were established. The limits were expressed as C/C0, were C0 is
the concentration in the 200L bottle and were 20% for PPCPs, 10% for Bisphenol-A
and 7,5% for Triclosan. The Bohart-Adams model was applied for each EC and the
adsorptive capacity (N0) and adsorption rate constant (K) were calculated. Finally, for
each EC the critical bed depth (Lcritical) was calculated from the constants N0 and K.
From the results of each EC about the Lcritical is seems that the bed depth
chosen (0,20 m) was too much in order to get proper results in a reasonable amount of
time (each EC gave breakthrough point in column A after about 20 days from the start
of the experiment). Unfortunately, the results from the second batch experiment are
not trustworthy, apart from the problems arisen, because for the Bohart-Adams lines
there were only breakthroughs on column A and the last sample from column B. So,
for the lines there were only two spots, from which the one was uncertain.
80
60
40
20
0
Bisphenol-A
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time {days}
Figure 3 : Breakthrough curves of Bisphenol-A (left) and Ibuprofen (right)
(column A is -○-, column B is -□-, column C is -∆- and column D is -×-).
~ vii ~
C/C 0 %
100
80
60
40
20
0
Ibuprofen
0 10 20 30 40 50
Time {days}