Advanced Treatment Methods Research Articles

Toxic-Free Environment: Forever Chemicals Removal from Water and Wastewater

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as "forever chemicals," are persistent synthetic compounds that have been widely utilized since the mid-20th century across various industries. Due to their environmental persistence and potential health risks, PFAS has become a significant concern, particularly in relation to water and wastewater contamination. This paper investigates the complex challenges associated with PFAS, focusing on existing regulatory frameworks, treatment strategies, and innovative clean technologies that aim to reduce or eliminate these harmful substances. The study emphasizes the importance of advanced treatment methods such as electrochemical degradation, nanofiltration, adsorption, and biodegradation, each offering varying degrees of success. Despite advancements in treatment technologies, prevention remains the most effective strategy to minimize PFAS pollution. The paper calls for collaborative efforts from regulatory bodies, industries, and communities to implement more sustainable practices, ensuring a toxic-free environment and aligning with circular economy principles. Continuous research and international cooperation are crucial for developing effective long-term solutions to address PFAS contamination and safeguard both public health and the environment.

Lead (Pb) removal from gold mining-impacted water utilizing palm oil fuel ash (POFA)

Mining, particularly gold mining, is a lucrative industry. However, it poses significant environmental risks, such as releasing heavy metal elements into the soil and water. After gold mines are exhausted, whether they are small or large scale, the excavated sites often need to be repaired. This situation has led to a global concern regarding the presence of heavy metals from mining activities, which are known to be carcinogenic and harmful to living organisms. The concentration of heavy metals in these areas often surpasses safety limits, necessitating advanced treatment methods for their removal, especially lead (Pb) compounds from gold mining waste. One effective treatment method is the adsorption process. This study examined POFA's inherent capacity to remove lead from water contaminated by gold mining without modification. This method was preferred due to its high efficiency and cost-effective option for removing heavy metal compounds. According to the experiment's results, the largest adsorption capacity of 0.816 mg/g was followed by the greatest removal efficiency of 91.837%. The isotherm analysis found that the Langmuir model provided an outstanding fit for the experimental data. Thus, this relationship suggested that on the surface of the POFA, a monolayer and an adsorption process suitable for physical adsorption took place.

APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN THE FIELD OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT: FOREIGN AND KAZAKHSTANI EXPERIENCE

The article discusses modern innovative technologies used in the field of wastewater treatment. Special attention is paid to the principles of operation, advantages and applications of technologies such as membrane bioreactors, anaerobic reactors, aerobic granular precipitation, photocatalytic and electrochemical purification, as well as bio- and nanofiltration. The analysis of the experience of the implementation of these technologies in various countries, including successful cases demonstrating the improvement of the quality of water resources and increasing the efficiency of water treatment systems. The experience of Kazakhstan is considered separately, where the use of advanced wastewater treatment methods is becoming an important element of environmental safety. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of the use of technologies in Kazakhstan and abroad is carried out, the main factors influencing the success of their implementation in the country are highlighted.

A comprehensive review of landfill leachate treatment technologies

The management of landfill leachate presents a significant environmental challenge, necessitating a comprehensive and dynamic treatment approach. This comprehensive review delves into the critical issue of landfill leachate treatment, exploring its environmental impact, treatment technologies, regulatory frameworks, and the path towards sustainable management practices. This review explores the complexities of landfill leachate, emphasizing the need for sustainable waste management practices to safeguard environmental health. Our analysis highlights the evolution of conventional and advanced treatment technologies designed to mitigate these risks, focusing on membrane technologies, advanced oxidation processes, and the promising potential of emerging techniques such as adsorption and biological nutrient removal. These technologies are evaluated for their efficiency, cost implications, and sustainability impacts, underscoring the challenges and opportunities within the current landscape of leachate treatment. The review aims to provide insights into designing efficient and effective treatment systems through a detailed analysis of conventional and advanced treatment methods. By examining a case study in Changsha City, the effectiveness of a comprehensive treatment system integrating various technologies is demonstrated. The review underscores the interconnectedness of human activities, environmental health, and waste management, emphasizing the importance of a holistic approach. It stresses the continuous improvement of leachate treatment technologies and the adoption of sustainable practices to reduce the environmental footprint of landfills. Ultimately, it calls for integrating multiple treatment processes, economic considerations, and readiness to address future challenges in landfill leachate treatment, contributing to the advancement of sustainable waste management practices.

SCINet: A Segmentation and Classification Interaction CNN Method for Arteriosclerotic Retinopathy Grading.

As a common disease, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases pose a great harm threat to human wellness. Even using advanced and comprehensive treatment methods, there is still a high mortality rate. Arteriosclerosis, as an important factor reflecting the severity of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, is imperative to detect the arteriosclerotic retinopathy. However, the detection of arteriosclerosis retinopathy requires expensive and time-consuming manual evaluation, while end-to-end deep learning detection methods also need interpretable design to high light task-related features. Considering the importance of automatic arteriosclerotic retinopathy grading, we propose a segmentation and classification interaction network (SCINet). We propose a segmentation and classification interaction architecture for grading arteriosclerotic retinopathy. After IterNet is used to segment retinal vessel from original fundus images, the backbone feature extractor roughly extracts features from the segmented and original fundus arteriosclerosis images and further enhances them through the vessel aware module. The last classifier module generates fundus arteriosclerosis grading results. Specifically, the vessel aware module is designed to highlight the important areal vessel features segmented from original images by attention mechanism, thereby achieving information interaction. The attention mechanism selectively learns the vessel features of segmentation region information under the proposed interactive architecture, which leads to reweighting the extracted features and enhances significant feature information. Extensive experiments have confirmed the effect of our model. SCINet has the best performance on the task of arteriosclerotic retinopathy grading. Additionally, the CNN method is scalable to similar tasks by incorporating segmented images as auxiliary information.

The export of medical services in segment of hi-technological medical care

The article considers role of high-tech medical care in export of medical services from the Russian Federation. In conditions of globalization and increasing international competition, it acquires special significance since it includes advanced methods of diagnostic and treatment of complex diseases that attract patients from abroad. The economic and social aspects of high-tech medical care export are considered. The statistical data and trends of development of this sector are analyzed. The particular attention is paid to state support and implementation of technological innovations contributing to increasing of competitiveness of Russian medical services at global medical market.

Historical aspects of the creation and development of university clinics (literature review)

The study is relevant due to the special role of university clinics in maintaining and strengthening public health, since these medical institutions provide training future doctors, conduct clinical and scientific activities, develop and test advanced treatment methods. A systematic review of the literature sources (original research and reviews) selected using bibliographic and semantic search in the databases MedLine, The Cochrane Library, Global Health, Cyb,erLeninka, RSCI, devoted to the historical aspects of the creation and development of university clinics. The authors studied the specifics of the activities of university clinics, searched for solutions to the problem of improving the efficiency and quality of both medical and educational processes of their life. Despite the fact that university clinics originated in different ways, the main models of their activities are highlighted in the form of a single educational, scientific, and medical complex, which allows training of medical personnel at a qualitatively different level, providing practice-oriented training, as well as the possibility of developing scientific achievements of medical science. The literature data provided by the authors indicate university clinics today to be centers of advanced practical and scientific experience in providing medical care of the population. The study of historical patterns of development of university clinics makes it possible to use the most successful experience of their management in the structure of an educational institution and develop requirements that a university clinic must meet at the present stage to ensure strategic sectoral tasks of the state health system both within the framework of training medical personnel and in ensuring the process of providing medical care of the population in the Russian Federation.

A complementary eco-friendly approach to heavy metal removal from wastewater/produced water streams through mineralization

With the world's ever-increasing population, portable water needs have significantly increased. This has put enormous pressure on the limited supply of freshwater around the globe and has necessitated the development of water treatment technologies that would convert saline waters into potable water for domestic and industrial uses. As saline water is treated for usage, so is wastewater generated from domestic and industrial processes. More prominently, another wastewater source is produced water consequent to oil production. Wastewater and produced water are similar in that they are both high in pollutants (heavy metals), which in discharge streams need to be kept within a threshold. The fact that heavy and rare earth metals linked to the produced water cannot be completely removed by state-of-the-art technologies is even more concerning. Thus, a complementary technology must be developed for this reason. This study investigates the mineralization of water-polluting heavy metals. The approach adopted involves the exposure of contaminated water to atmospheric or captured CO2 and the use of additives to achieve the removal. To gain a deeper understanding of how these innovative efforts function, the study also looked into the mechanism used to eliminate the heavy metals. The findings show that heavy metals in produced water and industrial effluent can be precipitated and immobilized to remove them. More so, this is made possible by the infusion of heavy metals into the crystal structures of precipitates like aragonite, calcite, and halite. Furthermore, the mechanism of the heavy metal removal involves their dehydration, immobilization and precipitation. Additionally, DFT calculations were utilized to support the experimental results by shedding light on the heavy metal hydration's ground-state structures and how EDTA chelates the heavy metals and enhances the process kinetics. The study's findings show how this strategy complements the most advanced wastewater treatment method in terms of increasing its efficiency and water security and safety. More so, as this is a pioneering effort, the optimum concentration of chelating agent and route (atmospheric or captured CO2) must be determined on a case-to-case basis for field implementation. Furthermore, the limitation of this study is that the efficiency of heavy metal removal may differ based on the starting brine composition, thus, optimization must be conducted beforehand.

Prospect of large language models and natural language processing for lung cancer diagnosis: A systematic review

AbstractLung cancer, a leading cause of global mortality, demands a combat for its effective prevention, early diagnosis, and advanced treatment methods. Traditional diagnostic methods face limitations in accuracy and efficiency, necessitating innovative solutions. Large Language Models (LLMs) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) offer promising avenues for overcoming these challenges by providing comprehensive insights into medical data and personalizing treatment plans. This systematic review explores the transformative potential of LLMs and NLP in automating lung cancer diagnosis. It evaluates their applications, particularly in medical imaging and the interpretation of complex medical data, and assesses achievements and associated challenges. Emphasizing the critical role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical imaging, the review highlights advancements in lung cancer screening and deep learning approaches. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of on‐going advancements in diagnostic methods and encourages further exploration in this field.

Pulsed corona discharge: an advanced treatment method for antibiotic-contaminated water

Water pollution is one of the most significant problems of the current century. With the increase in medicine availability and use, pharmaceutical pollutants such as antibiotics become more prevalent in natural environments with potentially negative impact. In this study, a pulsed corona discharge was investigated as a possible treatment method of water contaminated with amoxicillin (AMX). Two system configurations were used: plasma and plasma-ozonation. In order to better grasp the effect of system and water matrix on degradation, different pulse widths, solutions pH and conductivity values, as well as the nature of the dissolved salts were investigated. Decreasing the pulse width from 300 ns to 106 ns (full width at half maximum) led to almost a two-fold increase in energy yield at 50% pollutant removal, and the addition of the ozonation reactor resulted six times enhancement in efficiency. While the water matrix had little impact on AMX degradation, the buffering capacity of carbonates has proven beneficial by preventing pH decrease during treatment. Under optimum conditions, the energy yield was 57 g kWh−1 at 93% removal of AMX in tap water. A number of 26 potential degradation products have been identified, resulting from hydroxylation of the benzene ring, oxidation of the thioester and amine groups, hydrolysis, and cleavage of the benzene, β-lactam and thiazole rings, along with fragmentation of the resulting compounds. All but seven degradation intermediates are completely removed by extending treatment duration to 60 min and the persistent ones are less toxic than the parent compound.

Efficacy of atrial fibrillation predictors including MVP ECG risk score compared between single or bilateral internal thoracic artery use

BackgroundAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common complication after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery (CABG). Despite advanced treatment methods, primary prevention is crucial. Many factors have been investigated as markers for AF, but further research is required.CABG is currently superior to Primary Coronary Intervention (PCI) in some cases due to Left Anterior Descending Artery (LAD)- Internal Thoracic Artery (ITA) anastomosis. However, graft choice for non-LAD vessels is still controversial. Our study compared the incidence of arrhythmia between patients with single ITA or bilateral ITA (BITA).MethodsThe study included 84 isolated CABG patients. The patients were divided into two groups: single ITA and BITA. Patients who developed AF were recorded and compared.Results73.8%(n = 62) of the patients were male and 26.2%(n = 22) were female. While single ITA was used in 48.8%(n = 41) of the patients, BITA was used in 51.2%(n = 43). AF was detected in 15.5%(n = 13) of the patients. AF was observed in 5(12.2%) patients in the single ITA group and 8(18.6%) in the BITA group. 76.9%(n = 10) of the patients with AF rhythm had Diabetes Mellitus (DM)(p = 0.011). Biphasic P wave, length of P wave duration, and total Morpholog-Voltage-P Wave ECG (MVP ECG) score height were statistically significantly different.ConclusionsThe development of AF was similar in both groups. The presence of DM, high blood glucose levels, and ECG findings can detect a predisposition to postoperative AF. MVP ECG risk score is effective as an AF marker and can be used in surgical patient groups.

Photothermal therapy improves the efficacy of topical immunotherapy against melanoma

BackgroundMelanoma is an aggressive cancer with poor response to traditional therapies. A combination of photothermal therapy and topical immunotherapy may enhance elimination of melanoma.. Materials and methodsC57BL/6 mice with early stage and metastatic melanoma were treated with laser immunotherapy (LIT), combining near-infrared laser-based photothermal therapy (PTT) and topical imiquimod (IMQ)-based immunotherapy. The volume of primary and abscopal melanoma, animal survival, tissue temperature, transcriptome, and immune cell response were investigated to evaluate the effect of LIT. ResultsLIT could eliminate primary tumors, inhibite abscopal tumors, and prolong animal survival. The tumor tissues were selectively destroyed under a photothermal gradient between 38.2 ± 3.7 °C and 73.0 ± 2.3 °C. Gene expression analysis showed a significant increase in the expression of damage associated molecular patterns. Additionally, the population of mature dendritic cells, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells were increased, while myeloid-derived suppressor cells were downregulated after LIT. ConclusionThe study showed that LIT inhibited the growth of both primary and abscopal melanoma by activating systemic antitumor immune responses and reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, making LIT a potential method for advanced melanoma treatment.

Innovative Photocatalytic Reactor for Sustainable Industrial Water Decontamination: Utilizing 3D-Printed Components and Silica-Titania Trilayer Coatings

Industrial activities generate enormous quantities of polluted effluents, necessitating advanced methods of wastewater treatment to prevent potential environmental threats. Thus, the design of a novel photocatalytic reactor for industrial water decontamination, purification, and reuse is proposed as an efficient advanced oxidation technology. In this work, the development of the active reactor components is described, utilizing a two-step sol–gel technique to prepare a silica-titania trilayer coating on 3D-printed polymeric filters. The initial dip-coated SiO2 insulator further protects and enhances the stability of the polymer matrix, and the subsequent TiO2 layers endow the composite architecture with photocatalytic functionality. The structural and morphological characteristics of the modified photocatalytic filters are extensively investigated, and their performance is assessed by studying the photocatalytic degradation of the Triton X-100, a common and standard chemical surfactant, presented in the contaminated wastewater of the steel metal industry. The promising outcomes of the innovative versatile reactor pave the way for developing scalable, cost-effective reactors for efficient water treatment technologies.

Nerve Regeneration Through Differentiation of Endometrial-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Nerve-Like Cells Using Polyacrylonitrile/Chitosan Conduit and Berberine in a Rat Sciatic Nerve Injury Model.

Nervous injuries are common in humans. One of the most advanced treatment methods is neural tissue engineering. This research aims to utilize nerve-like cells (NLCs) derived from endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (EnMSCs) on a polyacrylonitrile/chitosan (PAN/CS) scaffold, along with berberine, for the reconstruction of a rat sciatic nerve injury model. In this experimental study, EnMSCs were obtained through enzymatic digestion and identified using flow cytometry and their differentiation into adipocyte and osteoblast. PAN nanofiber scaffolds were produced through electrospinning, and EnMSCs were neurally differentiated on these scaffolds for grafting into an animal model. The expression of Nestin, Map-2, Tuj-1, and NF genes in NLCs was confirmed through RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. Twenty-five adult male rats were used in this study, divided into 5 groups: (1) Scaffold/Cells/Berberine, (2) Scaffold/Cells, (3) Scaffold, (4) Berberine, and (5) Control. The animals were maintained for 8 weeks, and their sciatic nerve function (SFI) was assessed. Additionally, histological examinations were performed using hematoxylin/eosin, luxol fast blue staining, and immunohistochemistry. According to the results, extraction, identification, and differentiation of EnMSCs and fabrication of PAN conduit and its transplantation were successfully performed. The best behavioral performance and histology were observed in the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group. The SFI test results were -24.08 for the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group and -39.27 for the control group. The nerve diameter in these two groups was 591 µm and 80 µm, respectively, and the percentage of new nerve formation was 18.5% in the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group and 0.2% in the control group. The immunohistochemistry results demonstrated that the intensity of the green color was higher in the groups with cells compared to the groups without cells. Furthermore, in the luxol staining results, all groups showed a significant improvement compared to the control group. In the Scaffold/Cells/Berberine group, fibers, and axons appeared denser, more organized, and displayed a higher intensity of blue staining. According to the results of this study, EnMSCs demonstrated efficient differentiation into NLCs. With the assistance of PAN/CS scaffolds and simultaneous administration of berberine, EnMSCs have the potential for nerve regeneration and recovery from sciatic nerve injury in the rat animal model.

Comparing Conventional and Advanced Approaches for Heavy Metal Removal in Wastewater Treatment: An In-Depth Review Emphasizing Filter-Based Strategies.

Various industrial activities release heavy metal ions into the environment, which represent one of the major toxic pollutants owing to their severe effects on the environment, humans, and all living species. Despite several technological advances and breakthroughs, wastewater treatment remains a critical global issue. Traditional techniques are dedicated to extracting heavy metal ions from diverse wastewater origins, encompassing coagulation/flocculation, precipitation, flotation, and ion exchange. Their cost, side toxicity, or ineffectiveness often limit their large-scale use. Due to their adaptable design, simple operation, and reasonable cost, membrane filtration and adsorption have proven their efficiency in removing metals from wastewater. Recently, adsorption-based filters have appeared promising in treating water. Within this range, filters incorporating natural, synthetic, or hybrid adsorbents present an appealing alternative to conventional approaches. This review aims to list and describe the conventional and advanced wastewater treatment methods by comparing their efficiency, cost, and environmental impact. Adsorption-based filters were highlighted due to the significant advantages they can provide.

Early hydration of hot-stuffy steel slag-cement composite pastes: isothermal calorimetry and phase evolution

Hot stuffy self-disintegration has become an advanced and popular steel slag treatment method in recent years, presenting numerous advantages. Hot-stuffy steel slag (HSS) obtained by self-disintegration treatment technology with waste heat has different compositions and properties compared with ordinary steel slag (OSS). Although the properties of OSS as a mineral admixture have been reported by numerous articles, few researches focus on HSS, especially its effect on early cement hydration. In this paper, the early hydration of HSS-cement composite pastes is investigated from the insights of isothermal calorimetry and phase evolution. Effects of HSS on the setting time, hydration heat, reaction product, reaction degree, microstructure, and pore solution were systematically studied and compared with those of OSS. Results show that, unlike OSS, HSS hardly ever retards the early hydration of cement. This is caused by the differences in the composition of HSS and OSS due to the diversity in their production treatment processes. During the hot stuffy self-disintegration, the key retarding component in OSS, such as C12A7, reacts with water and their contents in HSS are reduced. It is found that hot stuffy self-disintegration is an effective method to mitigate the retardation effect of steel slag on the early hydration of cement. This study provides a better understanding of HSS, which is crucial for its utilization in cementitious materials.

ОПЫТ РЕАЛИЗАЦИИ ПИЛОТНОГО ПРОЕКТА «ГРОДНЕНСКАЯ УНИВЕРСИТЕТСКАЯ КЛИНИКА» В АСПЕКТЕ ЭФФЕКТИВНОСТИ НАУЧНОЙ ДЕЯТЕЛЬНОСТИ

The development and prompt implementation of advanced medical methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention, based on the latest achievements of science and technology is a healthcare focus area for any state. The purpose of this publication is to summarize the experience of the pilot project “Grodno University Clinic” implementation regarding the efficiency of scientific activities. 12 indices of the University clinic innovative development were included in the model for final results activities of the clinic’s departments. Significant growth in innovation has been achieved, 25 employees of the clinic participate in the educational process of the medical university, 15 theses are being carried out by the clinic staff and teaching staff, and 6 patents have been jointly received. 11 initiative research projects are planned and carried out at the clinic. In addition, funded projects are being implemented, the implementation of which made it possible to attract 209,850 BYN in 2022. Scientific and practical conference “Innovative achievements in the work of Grodno University Clinic” is held annually as a part of the “Perspective plan for the development of the health care institution “Grodno University Clinic” implementation regarding the increase of the efficiency of scientific activities and personnel of the highest scientific qualifications. The clinic conducts clinical trials of medicines and medical products; income for 2022 amounted to 523.88K BYN. The experience of this project implementation makes it possible to draw the following conclusions. The presented interim results of pilot project “Grodno University Clinic” implementation regarding the efficiency of scientific activities allow us to assess positively this initiative transformation of the model for organizing the functioning of a multidisciplinary medical healthcare institution. The marked tendencies in the dynamics of the main indices reflect the efficiency of scientific research in the applied healthcare areas of high priority. The positive influence on innovation impacted by this favorable environment under a new integration project of science and practice for national healthcare is shown. Further research on the role and place of university clinics in the Republic of Belarus under their contribution and influence on the training of highly qualified scientific staff for healthcare, the development and implementation of import-substituting and export-oriented innovative methods of diagnosis, treatment and prevention in practical medicine are considered to be relevant.

Evaluation of characterization and adsorption kinetics of natural organic matter onto nitric acid modified activated carbon

Natural organic substances (NOM) found in drinking water are a major contributor to disinfectant by-product formation and are potentially toxic to humans. Traditional water treatment techniques may not always effectively treat NOMs. Therefore, an advanced treatment method such as adsorption can be inexpensive, simple and efficient. The selected adsorbent's and the NOMs properties both affect the removal effectiveness of the adsorption method. Activated carbon (AC), which is widely used in real-scale water treatment plants, has been modified and used in recent years In order to oxidize the porous carbon surface, raise its acidic qualities, eliminate mineral components, and enhance the surface's hydrophilic qualities. In this research, AC was modified with nitric acid (M-PAC) and NOM removal was investigated. In addition, it is discussed how the modification with nitric acid changes the adsorbent structure and chemistry. A morphology with smooth and irregular voids was observed as a result of nitric acid modification of the original AC by SEM analysis. The particle size increased from 387.65 nm to 502.07 nm for the M-PAC adsorbent. The FTIR spectrum indicates that structures connected to aromatic rings get formed in the M-PAC adsorbent as a result of the modification. The highest NOM removal for the original powdered activated carbon (PAC), 47%, was observed at 36 hours of contact time. On the other hand, M-PAC adsorbent achieved 40% NOM removal at contact times of 72 hours and above. It was concluded that the pseudo-second order kinetic model better represented NOM adsorption for both adsorbents.

Ferrate as a coagulant prior to sand filters treating secondary wastewater effluent for reuse.

Wastewater reuse is one of the crucial water resources in Egypt due to the ongoing need to increase water resources and close the supply-demand gap. In this study, a new coagulant has been investigated before sand filters as an advanced wastewater treatment method. The sand filter pilot was run at a hydraulic loading rate of 0.75 m/h and two different dosages of three coagulants (Alum, FeCl3, and Ferrate VI) were selected using the jar tests. The sand filter without coagulant removed 12% of BOD5 and 70% of turbidity. Applying in-line coagulation before the sand filter provided effluents with better quality, especially for turbidity, organics, and microorganisms. Ferrate provided the highest removal of turbidity (90%) and BOD5 (93%) at very low dosages and lower costs compared with other coagulants, however, it adversely impacted both conductivity and dissolved solids. A significant effect on reducing bacteria was obtained with 40.0 mg/L of alum. According to the study's findings, the ferrate coagulant enhanced the sand filter's performance producing effluents with high quality, enabling it to meet strict water reuse regulations as well as aquatic environmental and health preservations.

Implications of the operation of continuous granular activated carbon filters on the effluent quality.

Granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration is a commonly used method for advanced wastewater treatment. Filters can be operated continuously or discontinuously, with continuous operation not requiring feed flow interruption for backwashing and circulation (B/C). This study investigated the influence of B/C on the effluent quality of continuous filters. Two continuous GAC filters were operated for 1.5 years, with analysis of dissolved substances and particulate matter in the influent and effluent. The results indicated that various B/C modes had no impact on the removal of dissolved organic carbon and organic micropollutants (OMP), achieving an OMP removal of over 70% after 5,600 treated bed volumes (m3 treated wastewater per m3 GAC). However, it was evident that continuous B/C over 2-4 h resulted in increased turbidity, total suspended solids over 30 mg/L and total phosphorus concentrations of 1.3 mg/L in the filter effluent. Additionally, the study demonstrated that longer and more intensive B/C processes resulted in GAC size degradation with AC concentrations of up to 6.9 mg/L in the filter effluent, along with a change in GAC particle size. Furthermore, the importance of pre-filtration in reducing particulate matter in the filter influent and decreasing hydraulic head loss could be demonstrated.