Research project: removal of micropollutants with the use of ozone and granulated active carbon

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co.KG was founded by Albert Boehringer in Ingelheim on the Rhine in 1885. The company operates a central wastewater treatment plant on their research and development location in Biberach an der Riß (Baden-Württemberg). The treated wastewater is discharged directly to the receiving water course.

As part of a research project investigating the reduction of trace substances and micropollutants, a partial flow of the wastewater generated daily is treated there. This partial flow comes from two lines operated in parallel. The wastewater from the first line flows into a HUBER Active Carbon Filter CONTIFLOW® GAC. In the CONTIFLOW® filter, the adsorptive elimination of the micropollutants on the inner surface of the active carbon takes place. The wastewater from the second line is pretreated with ozone before it is passed into a HUBER Active Carbon Filter CONTIFLOW® GAC, he design of which is identical with the one used for the wastewater from the first line. When in contact with ozone, the micropollutants are oxidized. The generated transformation products are usually readily biodegradable and well adsorbable.

A dosing station for the most different trace substancesand micropollutants is installed in the inlet to both lines. Due to the targeted dosing of different substances the research project delivers interesting results for both municipal and industrial applications.

Under this research project, the effects of upstream ozonisation on a HUBER Active Carbon Filter CONTIFLOW® GAC are examined over a period of 18 months. The expected research results include not only an increased efficiency for the elimination of micropollutants but also a longer life of the active carbon.