Filtration characteristics of garnet media before and after modification

Abstract

High-temperature calcination was used to modify garnet media. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) measurements, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), zeta potential analysis, and a static adsorption experiment on humic acid removal were carried out to compare unmodified garnet and traditional quartz sand. Fitting adsorption isotherm of the media before and after modification was conducted to determine the adsorption type, and a dynamic filtration experiment was performed to treat micro-polluted water. Results of the characterization analysis and the static adsorption experiment revealed that, compared with the smooth surface of unmodified garnet, the surface of modified garnet media was covered with Fe2O3, which showed a rough concave-convex structure with a specific area that was 2.44 times larger than that of unmodified garnet. The removal efficiency of organic matter after modification increased from 2.5–4.5% to 51.7–63.1%, and the adsorption capacity increased 11–24 times. The adsorption type of the modified garnet media belongs to the Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption mode, while that of the original media belongs to the Freundlich adsorption mode. Results of the dynamic filtration experiment revealed that the effect of modified garnet media on turbidity, CODMn, and UV254 removal was better than that of unmodified garnet and traditional quartz sand.