Virus removal from drinking water using modified activated carbon fibers

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Materials Science
• Water Treatment

Background:

• Activated carbon (AC) is effective for water purification due to its porous structure and high surface area.
• Waterborne viruses pose significant human health risks.
• AC is not widely used for removing viruses from water.

Purpose of the Study:

• To modify activated carbon fibers (ACFs) using oxidation and copper impregnation.
• To investigate the impact of these modifications on virus removal efficiency.
• To evaluate the potential of functionalized ACFs for water disinfection.

Main Methods:

• ACFs were treated via oxidation and copper impregnation.
• Modified ACFs were tested for virus removal using experimental flow studies.
• MS2 bacteriophages were used as model viruses.

Main Results:

• Oxidized ACFs achieved up to 3.6 log10 reduction values (LRV) for MS2 bacteriophages.
• Non-modified ACFs showed a 2.8 LRV.
• Copper-modified ACFs exhibited limited virucidal capacity due to metal release.

Conclusions:

• Surface functionalization of ACFs, particularly through oxidation, significantly enhances virus removal.
• Oxidized ACFs offer a promising approach for waterborne virus mitigation.
• Copper impregnation is not ideal for virus removal due to metal leaching issues.