Slow sand filters (SSFs) are essential for ensuring microbial quality and biological stability of drinking water in the Netherlands. However, gaps exist in understanding of removal processes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and ammonium and the effects of grain size, loading rate, and backwashing on removal in SSFs.
Four lab-scale SSF columns filled with fine (0.4-0.6 mm) and coarse (0.85-1.25 mm) sand were constructed and operated in two phases with a total of 165 days. In phase I, SSFs operated at a flow rate of 0.5 m/h to investigate the influence of grain size. After stabilization, higher loading rate of 2 m/h and backwashing procedure (20% expansion for 5 min) was applied during the phase II experiment. Various physicochemical and biological parameters, including DOC, ammnoium, phosphate, and ATP were analyzed in water along the filter depth. Additionally, biomass development on sand was quantified suing ATP measurement.
Results showed the stable SSF operation after 90-100 days, removing 100% of dosed 1.5 mg/L of DOC and 1.0 mg/L of ammonium. Compared with fine sand, coarse sand had similar removal performance but better backwashing effectiveness and lower clogging risk. Increased loading rate led to faster microbial growth, reducing operational lifespan, and poor removal performance. Backwashing showed minimal impact on DOC and ammonium removal capacity and microbial activity, which were recovered after backwashing within 7-14 days, indicating the potential for backwashing to prolong SSF’s operational lifespan.
This research investigated the DOC and ammnoium removal processes and the influence of grain size, loading rate, and backwashing on filter performance. Providing insights for optimized SSF design and operation. Future studies could delve into mechanisms using isotope analysis or metagenomics, along with more comprehensive sand sample analysis.