| Title |
Efficiency Analysis of Coagulation-Based Hybrid Processes for NOM Removal in Low-SUVA Waters |
| Authors |
정다희(Jeong Dahui) ; 황예진(Hwang Yejin) ; 김명호(Kim Myeongho) ; 이준호(Lee Junho) |
| DOI |
https://doi.org/10.15681/KSWE.2025.41.6.455 |
| Keywords |
Adsorption; Coagulation; Combined treatment; Ion exchange; Low SUVA; Natural Organic Matter (NOM) |
| Abstract |
This study examined the effectiveness of coagulation-based treatment combinations for removing natural organic matter (NOM) in waters with low Specific UV Absorbance (SUVA ≤ 2.0 L/mg?m). Four treatment processes were evaluated: coagulation alone (C), coagulation followed by ion exchange (C?IEX), coagulation with powdered activated carbon (C+P), and coagulation with PAC followed by ion exchange (C+P?IEX). These processes were tested using synthetic water containing humic acid (HA) and fulvic acid (FA). The results indicated that NOM characteristics significantly affected treatment performance, even when SUVA levels w ere similar. T he C+P p rocess demonstrated the h ighest r emoval r ates f or U V254 a nd d issolved organic carbon (DOC) and exhibited the greatest adsorption capacity (qe) in HA water. In contrast, the C+P? IEX process proved most effective for FA water, highlighting differences in molecular structure and hydrophobicity. However, the pH levels in IEX-related processes rose to between 9 and 11 due to the use of OH?-form resins, which introduced variability in process comparisons. Additionally, because the experiments utilized synthetic waters, interactions with other natural water constituents and the potential formation of disinfection by-products (DBPs) were not directly evaluated. These limitations underscore the necessity for further research in real water conditions with controlled pH levels. The findings suggest that relying solely on SUVA for process design may result in insufficient NOM removal, as it does not account for compositional differences. This study highlights the importance of NOM-specific characterization and customized process combinations to ensure effective management of NOM in low SUVA source waters. |