Effect of natural organic matter on adsorption of ionic and non-ionic pharmaceuticals to granular activated carbon

Adsorption of clofibric acid (CA) and propyphenazone (PPZ) to virgin granular activated carbon (GAC) and preloaded GAC was evaluated in the absence or presence of natural organic matter (NOM). In spite of lower log K ow, PPZ showed higher selectivity to GAC than CA, which has a carboxylic group. Adsorption competition between CA and PPZ in binary solutes system decreased the amount of individual compound adsorbed to GAC. Adsorption isotherm data obtained in the presence of NOM showed that NOM in bulk solution or preloaded on GAC could significantly reduce the amounts of CA and PPZ adsorbed to GAC.