Modelling micropollutant adsorption in water treatment

Abstract

Adsorption-based micropollutant removal is currently applied in different process configurations in both drinking water treatment and wastewater treatment. To support process understanding, prediction and design, emphasis is placed here on mechanistic modelling of adsorption, namely through the Homogeneous Surface Diffusion Model (HSDM), which provides a mechanistic-based description of mass transfer and intraparticle diffusion. Overall, modelling of micropollutant adsorption can support several practical objectives, including activated carbon selection, the development and screening of new adsorbents, and the design and optimisation of treatment processes. The proposed modelling approach is illustrated with datasets from several research projects, highlighting its applicability across different treatment contexts.