Evaluation of graft adsorbent with N-methyl-D-glucamine for boron removal from groundwater

Hoshina, Hiroyuki; Seko, Noriaki; Ueki, Yuji; Tamada, Masao; Iyatomi, Yosuke 

The adsorbent was prepared by radiation induced graft polymerization of glycidyl methacrylate onto nonwoven polyethylene fabric in aqueous medium, and following chemical modification with N-methyl-D-glucamine. The adsorbents were packed into the column, 10 cm in internal diameter. The volume of adsorbent in column was 2,000 cm. The column was set into the adsorption equipment which consisted of pump, pre-filters and a fraction collector. The groundwater was pumped up from neutralization tank and was 1.2 ppm of boron concentration. After removed of in/organic compound by pre-filters, the groundwater was pumped into the column at various flow rates. As a result, the bed volume (BV) at breakthrough point were 1,400 and 1,250 at space velocity (SV) 50 and 100 h, respectively. These values correspond to 0.7 and 0.5 mmol/g-adsorbent. However, the BV at breakthrough point significant decreased at SV 200 h. In the case of SV 100 h, the adsorption equipment with the graft adsorbent can treat to remove boron from 4,800 liters of groundwater a day.