Effects of ozonation and temperature on biodegradation of natural organic matter in biological granular activated carbon filters

Four pilot (biological) granular activated carbon ((B)GAC) filters were operated to quantify the effects of ozonation and water temperature on the biodegradation of natural organic matter (NOM) in (B)GAC filters. Removal of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), assimilable organic carbon (AOC) and oxygen and the production of carbon dioxide were taken as indicators for NOM biodegradation. Ozonation stimulated DOC and AOC removal in the BGAC filters, but had no significant effect on oxygen removal and carbon dioxide production. The temperature had no significant effect on DOC and AOC removal, while oxygen removal and carbon dioxide production increased with increasing temperature. Multivariate linear regression was used to quantify these relations. In summer the ratio between oxygen consumption and DOC removal exceeded the theoretical maximum of 2.5 g O2·g C 1 and the ratio between carbon dioxide production and DOC removal exceeded the theoretical maximum of 3.7 g CO2·g C 1. Bioregeneration of large NOM molecules could explain this excesses and the non-correlation between DOC and AOC removal and oxygen removal and carbon dioxide production. However bioregeneration of large NOM molecules was considered not likely to happen, due to sequestration.