Influence of Selected Coagulants of Indicator and Dioxin-Like PCB Removal from Drinking Water

The aim of the research was to compare selected coagulants efficiency in indicator and chosen dioxin-like PCB removal from surface water. As coagulants, there were used aluminium sulfate and 5 hydrolyzed polyaluminium chlorides, with trade names: PAX-XL1, PAX-XL10, PAX-XL19, PAX-XL60, PAX-XL69. For the research, surface water was used, collected from dam reservoir. The water composition was modified with standard mixtures PCB MIX24 and MIX13, in order to obtain concentration of each congener equal to 300 ng/dm³. The PCB MIX24 mixture was composed of indicator congeners solution: 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180, whereas the MIX13 mixture - solution of three dioxin-like PCB 77, PCB 126, and PCB 169. It was demonstrated that the application of aluminium sulfate allowed for reaching better effects for purifying water of PCB, than with the usage of pre-hydrolyzed salts, polyaluminium chlorides. Out of the studied coagulants, the best effects for indicator PCB removal were obtained with the application of aluminium sulfate, total PCB concentration was decreased by 65%. The highest efficiency for indicator congeners removal (90%) was obtained for PCB 138 and 153. After the application of hydrolyzed polyaluminium chlorides PAX-XL1, PAX-XL10 decrease in higher chlorinated PCB concentration was obtained, in the range of 23 to 74%. Selectivity of chosen PCB congener removal, depending on applied coagulant, was demonstrated; with the usage of aluminium sulfate, removal of heptachlorobiphenyl PCB 180 at the level of 34% was obtained, whereas with the application of PAX-XL1 and PAX-XL10 higher reduction efficiency for this congener was obtained, i.e. 83 and 74% respectively. For dioxin-like PCB, after application of aluminium sulfate, total concentration reduction by 74% was obtained, efficiency of this congeners removal amounted to from 54 (PCB 77) up to 72% (PCB 126), similar results were obtained after the usage of PAX-XL1. The lowest PCB removal from water rate was stated for coagulants PAX-XL60 and PAX-XL69.