Experiments about the removal of supersaturated total dissolved gas from water environment by activated carbon adsorption

Abstract

Water environment conditions directly support aquatic life. It is important to maintain a suitable water environment to improve the efficient use of water resources. Supersaturation of total dissolved gas (TDG) in the water will cause fish suffer from gas bubble disease and even mortalities. Measures should be taken to mitigate the adverse effect of supersaturated TDG. Considering the adsorption effect of porous medium, activated carbon (AC) was utilized in this experiment to explore the effect of AC on supersaturated TDG removal. The effects of AC properties, AC dosage, and initial TDG saturation were investigated. The results showed that adding AC in the water could effectively accelerate the supersaturated TDG removal rate, which was positively correlated with the AC specific surface area and dosage. Meanwhile, the average dissipation rate of TDG increased and then decreased with increasing initial TDG saturation. The adsorption characteristics of AC on supersaturated TDG were also explored. The maximum equilibrium adsorption capacity and removal rate were 0.262 mg/g and 48.5% respectively. It was concluded that the adsorption process of AC on supersaturated TDG conformed to the Langmuir equation and pseudo-first-order kinetic model. Recycling test indicated that the used AC could be reused after drying. It was hoped that this research could contribute to improving water environment and ensuring the healthy development of the aquatic livings.

Keywords: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Supersaturation; Total dissolved gas; Water environment.