Removal of pesticides from surface waters by combined physicochemical processes. Part I: Dodine

The simultaneous action of powdered activated carbon and several coagulant agents on the removal of the fungicide dodine from spiked distilled water, was studied. As coagulants, ferric chloride (FeCl3) and basic polyaluminium chlorosulfate ([Al(OH)xCly(SO4)z]n) were examined, using polyacrylamide, in certain cases, as coagulant aid (polyelectrolyte). The efficiency of dodine removal was investigated with respect to the added amount of powdered activated carbon (PAC), the pH value, as well as the type and dose of coagulant and polyelectrolyte. The experiments were performed applying the standard jar-test procedure. The initial concentration of dodine was 250 μg/L. At this concentration and pH range 5–8 it was found that a dose of 100 mg/L PAC was necessary to achieve more than 98% removal of dodine, whereas lower removal (91–93%) was obtained applying half the dose of PAC under the same conditions. However, when 10–100 mg/L FeCl3 were simultaneously added with PAC, the removal efficiency increased to >98%, even with the half PAC dose.