Treatability of 18 taste and odor compounds using powdered activated carbon in drinking water utilities

Taste and odor (T&O) compounds in source waters can enter drinking water utilities causing customer concerns about the water quality if not removed during treatment. While there has been extensive research on two common T&O compounds, 2‐methylisoborneol (2‐MIB) and geosmin, research on non‐MIB/geosmin compounds has been limited. This study evaluated the treatability of 16 non‐MIB/geosmin compounds, 2‐MIB, and geosmin using powdered activated carbon (PAC). Four types of PAC were tested: two bituminous‐based, one lignite‐based, and one wood‐based PAC. Among the 18 compounds, PAC was effective for 15 compounds with at least 90% removal with typical PAC dosing, but was not suitable for dimethyl disulfide, ethyl methyl dioxolane, and cis‐3‐hexenol. The bituminous‐based PACs showed greater removal with higher adsorption rates compared to the lignite‐ and wood‐based PACs. The adsorption behavior of T&O compounds varied based on their physical and chemical characteristics, for example, hydrophobicity, and nature of functional groups.