SPECIAL
report
Activated carbon options
This versatile material can help treat wastewater for
discharge and reuse.
By John Matthis, Calgon Carbon Corporation
ndustrial wastewater op-
I erators face regulations and
many contaminants in their
work, making treatment and
compliance challenging. Activated car-
bon has been an effective treatment op-
tion for years and can be used to remove
contaminants from wastewater streams.
Challenges
Industrial wastewater treatment op-
erations constantly contend with new
regulations, while current regulations
become more stringent. Meeting the re-
quirements of these regulations and do-
ing so in a way that is both cost-effective
and accommodating to a facility’s opera-
tions can prove challenging. Planning for
future regulations, which potentially im-
pact the current design and operational
needs of facilities in the industry, must
also be included.
Many guidelines in the regula-
tions mentioned above focus on the
proper removal of organic matter such
as FOG, BOD, PPCP, EDC and DBPs.
Under the Clean Water Act, the U.S. En-
vironmental Protection Agency (EPA)
established the National Pollutant
Discharge Elimination System permit-
ting program as way to control the dis-
charge of wastewater to surface water
supplies and prevent the discharge of
toxic materials to waterways. As waste-
water quality parameters changed from
chemical-specific to include toxicity-
based limits, more time and effort are
required to study and test solutions.
To address these challenges and
regulations, operators must rely on the
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combination of experience from engi-
neering firms and equipment suppliers
that are familiar with pollutants and con-
taminants. This ensures the completion
of the proper research and testing need-
ed to select the right treatment solution.
Operators are also encouraged to
review the EPA’s “Best Available Treat-
ment” document, which summarizes
the available treatment options and
maximum containment level goals for
regulated contaminants.
A treatment solution
PAC and GAC remove organic chemicals
and reduce toxicity in some wastewaters
to allow for safe discharge into surface
water and are a widely accepted technol-
ogy for treating and removing organics,
free chlorine, color and many other im-
purities. For some industrial wastewa-
ters, secondary treatment following acti-
vated carbon may be required.
PAC
PAC is defined by the American Society
for Testing Materials as particles passing
through an 80-mesh sieve (0.177 millime-
ter) and smaller. By varying manufactur-
ing conditions, internal pore structures
are created by imparting unique ad-
sorption properties specific to each
product. The choice for a specific
application varies because of
differing impurities and
proprietary process
conditions. PAC can
also be used as an
a s - re qu i re d
treatment
Glossary of terms
• BOD – biological oxygen demand
• DBPs – disinfection byproducts
• EDC – endocrine disrupting compounds
• FOG – fats, oils and grease
• GAC – granular activated carbon
• NPDES – National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System
• PAC – powdered activated carbon
• PPCP – pharmaceutical personal care
products
• UV – ultraviolet
objective to accommodate batch pro-
cesses or seasonal issues.
PAC is typically dosed directly into
the stream or holding tank to re-
move contaminants and is subse-
quently filtered from the stream. PAC
requires a filtration system, either a
clarifier, filter press or rotary vacuum
filter, and it cannot be reactivated. It is often
disposed by the generator in a landfill or
an incinerator. The removal of contami-
nants to low treatment objec-
tives requires a high
dosage of
Example of GAC
All images courtesy of Calgon Carbon Corporation

PAC, which makes it less economical than
GAC from a carbon-use perspective.
GAC
The porous nature and large surface
area of GAC make it speciically ideal for
physical adsorption and other treatment
techniques. GAC has the capacity to re-
move a broad range of organics and can
improve water quality for discharge or re-
use. It can be reused through reactivation,
which is an attractive option for facilities
that want to improve their sustainability.
GAC can be produced using different ma-
terials, methods and degrees of activation
to produce activated carbons designed to
meet and exceed the demands of a many
applications.
While GAC can often be more eco-
nomical for lower treatment objec-
tives, it can be reactivated (recycled),
reducing potential disposal costs and
long-term liability costs affiliated with
landfill disposal.
The EPA and most state-based health
departments consider adsorption by GAC
to be an instrumental technology for the
removal of many organic materials in sur-
face water. On its own, or paired with an
ultraviolet (UV) disinfection system, GAC
can facilitate the removal of:
• DBPs associated with chlorine and
alternative disinfectants
• EDC
• PPCP
• Taste and odor-causing compounds
• Organic materials from decaying
plants and other naturally occurring
matter that serve as the precursors
for DBPs
The future of industrial wastewater
Wastewater treatment is a vital component
of any industrial process because it ensures
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Example of PAC
that water meets the discharge criteria and/
or meets the process requirements for the
water to be reused at a facility. As water re-
use becomes increasingly important from a
sustainability position, activated carbon will
become a central component of the water
treatment train because of its versatility.
For some industrial wastewaters, additional
treatment efforts, such as UV disinfection,
reverse osmosis or ultrafiltration, may be
required for reuse and for release to surface
waters.
John Matthis is an applications engineer with
the Industrial and Food Business Unit (IFBU)
at Calgon Carbon Corporation. In this position,
He is involved in design, troubleshooting and
product recommendations for industrial pro-
cess and activated carbon applications, which
include wastewater treatment. Matthis may be
reached at jmatthis@calgoncarbon.com.
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