Multiple objective treatment aspects of river bank filtration system

The main objective of this study is to understand and to develop tools to utilize the multi-objectives water treatment potential of RBF, especially under extreme environmental conditions. This study will mainly focus on the removal of bulk organic matter, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs). This study aims to the following specific objectives: a evaluation of the changes in the character of bulk organic matter upon soil column passage to simulate the impact of wastewater effluent during RBF, a understanding the fundamental of endocrine disrupting compounds interactions occurring during RBF, a investigation of the fate and transport of selected PhACs during RBF

Long version: Many countries worldwide are faced with the challenge of providing safe drinking water to an ever-increasing population. However, increasing pollution of surface waters, often by wastewater effluent, has made water treatment much more difficult and expensive. Riverbank filtration (RBF) is natural water treatment process by inducing surface water to flow downward through sediment and into a vertical or horizontal well. It is a relatively low-cost and efficient technology. In historical perspective of RBF, it is first mentioned in the bible. In chapter 7 versus 24 in Exodus, “all the Egyptians had to dig in the neighborhood of the river for drinking water, since they could not drink the river water.” RBF has been recognized as a proven method for drinking water treatment process in Europe. But these facilities have all been based on local experiences and so far, there are no tools or a methodology that would help to transfer the experiences or design of this system from one place to another. For water supply companies, currently there are no tools or guidelines for the design of RBF systems and to predict the water quality as a function of operational conditions.

The main objective of this study is to understand and to develop tools to utilize the multi-objectives water treatment potential of RBF, especially under extreme environmental conditions. This study will mainly focus on the removal of bulk organic matter, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) and pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs). This study aims to the following specific objectives: a evaluation of the changes in the character of bulk organic matter upon soil column passage to simulate the impact of wastewater effluent during RBF, a understanding the fundamental of endocrine disrupting compounds interactions occurring during RBF, a investigation of the fate and transport of selected PhACs during RBF

A framework or guidelines for the assessment or prediction of water quality (bulk organic matter, EDCs and PhACs) from a RBF system will be a very important tool for quick screening of candidate RBF project sites and to compare its costs with other conventional treatment systems. The use of this framework will facilitate the increased application of RBF technology for water treatment. This study consists of soil column and batch experiments in the laboratory (UNESCO-IHE) and field study in Korea.