Enhancing zero valent iron based natural organic matter removal by mixing with dispersed carbon cathodes

Former studies have shown that adding granular activated carbon (GAC) cathodes could enhance the overall performance of the zero valent iron (ZVI) process for organics removal. The present study evaluates for the first time the performance of such an enhanced ZVI process to remove natural organic matter (NOM), an important water quality parameter in drinking water. Lab-scale batch tests were conducted with surface reservoir feed water from a drinking water plant. In the GAC enhanced ZVI process dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and UV254 were reduced by 61±3% and 70±2%, respectively, during 24h treatment corresponding to 1.8min empty bed contact time. The process was superior to ZVI alone, particularly during the earlier stages of the process due to the synergistically increased iron dissolution rate. Besides GAC, graphite and anthracite also prove to be suitable and potentially more cost-effective options as cathode materials for the enhanced ZVI process, whereby electrically conductive graphite clearly outperformed anthracite. The dominant mechanisms in terms of NOM removal from surface water were found to be coagulation following iron dissolution and adsorption in the case of employing GAC. Oxidation was also occurring to a lesser degree, converting some non-biodegradable into biodegradable DOC.