Passability of Chironomid Larvae in Granular Activated Carbon

We conducted an experiment to confirm the passability of chironomid larvae (Glyptotendipes tokunagai) in granular activated carbon (GAC) used in water treatment plants. After injecting larvae at different growth stages (first through fourth instars) into circular columns filled with GAC, the number of individuals and their locations within the GAC columns were recorded after 168 h. We found that more than 80% of the injected larvae in the first instar and 3.3% in the second instar passed, whereas none from the third and fourth instars had passed through the column. The second instar larvae were evenly distributed within the column, whereas the third and fourth instar larvae were mostly distributed within 10 cm of the upper layer of the GAC. Our results demonstrate the passability of chironomid larvae in GAC and can be used as basic information for water quality management in water treatment plants.