Activated carbon disinfection and water treatment plants

Activated carbon disinfection service and water treatment equipment.

All activated carbon applied in water purification, sooner or later becomes a source of bacterial proliferation (due to the organic matter it retains). Then it becomes necessary to disinfect the charcoal, a task that is not easy since charcoal decomposes the oxidizing agents that are used for this purpose (chlorine, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, etc.). Our company offers the service, advice and the right product for sanitization.

Granular activated carbon is a very conducive medium for bacterial growth. On the one hand, it traps organic molecules, many of which are biodegradable, and therefore constitute the food of these organisms. On the other hand, it has a rough surface that allows bacteria to attach well, preventing them from being easily washed away by water. And finally, the carbon destroys the free chlorine, so that this disinfectant does not reach all the places where microbes are attached.

The biological activity in the GAC is advantageous in the sense that, by degrading the organic matter, it frees the sites it used to occupy, thus restoring the carbon’s capacity to retain other pollutants. However, as mentioned above, the rapid reproduction rate of the bacteria generates an excess of biomass, which clogs the bed and is released into the water. Therefore, a chlorinated water -free of bacteria- that enters an adsorber can leave not only dechlorinated but also loaded with these microorganisms.

The disinfection of coal consists of destroying the microorganisms found in it as efficiently as possible. Even if total elimination is achieved, the bed will be re-infected sooner or later. In the event that the water arrives at the adsorber chlorinated, it will leave the adsorber dechlorinated, and therefore without disinfectant protection. Bacteria can then recontaminate the carbon, entering through the bottom of the adsorber or through the discharge pipe. It is enough that there is a leak at the base of the tank or in one of its connections, or that a sampling point is contaminated -which is not difficult-, or that the water is discharged to a point where it comes into contact with the environment.

Disinfection of water treatment plants, filters and granular media.

Bacteria are everywhere, in a water purification plant that does not have frequent maintenance and disinfection, these bacteria can get into the treated water. Many of these strains do not show up in laboratory tests because they are not associated with health problems. However, they can cause problems in the operation of your water treatment plant. This can reduce the life of your purification system. The worst: when you do not change and disinfect your water filters, you allow bacteria to grow both in the treatment stages and in the pipes. You can tell because a thick, jellyfish-like texture is generated, and although it is harmless, it can cause an unpleasant odor or taste.

Carbotecnia offers the service of disinfection of both activated carbon and granular filter media and systems on site by means of chemical disinfection.