Water quality produced by polystyrene granules as a media filter on rapid filters

Abstract

Many devices are used to improve the performance of rapid filters, increasing the filter run and reducing the velocity of the wash water filter with the use of multiple layers and the adoption of different filter materials. This study constructed a descending rapid filter utilizing polystyrene granules as a new filter element; this was compared to a sand and anthracite descending rapid filter. The filter performance was compared in terms of water quality, turbidity, apparent and true color, conductivity, total dissolved solids, temperature, pH, residual aluminum, and removal of cyanobacterium (Cylindrospermopsis raciborski) under the same operating conditions of filtration. The sand and anthracite filter reached the greatest filtration run, but the water quality of the polystyrene filter had a similar quality to the sand and anthracite filter. Furthermore, the filter containing polystyrene granules as a media filter can represent savings with decreased wash water and the construction of reservoirs with a lower hydraulic load.