According to research published in the July 2014 issue of Water Environment Research (WER)—the journal published by the Water Environment Federation (WEF)— activated carbon adsorption is the preferred way to control odors and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. The research, titled “Efficient Control of Odors and VOC Emissions via Activated Carbon Technology,” was conducted by Farhana Mohamed, James Kim, Ruey Huang, Huong Ton Nu and Vlad Lorenzo.
“The featured study, which was conducted at the Bureau of Sanitation in Los Angeles, focused on a delineation of the relationship between operational parameters such as empty bed contact time and humidity as well as removal efficiency for odors, VOCs, and siloxanes,” said WER Editor-in-Chief Tim Ellis. “Mohamed, et al. found that activated carbon adsorption, a longtime stalwart for odor control, is the preferred method for not only eliminating odors, but also for removing other air-borne contaminants, provided that the cost can be controlled through efficient design and operation. Hydrogen sulfide breakthrough and butane activity were among the control strategies identified by the authors for effective operation.”
Formerly available to subscribers only, selected WER articles such as this are available free to the public on a monthly basis through an open-access program.
Source: Water Environment Federation
