X-ray absorption as an alternative method to determine the exhausting degree of activated carbon layers in water treatment system for medical services

• Published in: Talanta (Oxford) Vol. 205; p. 120058
• Main Authors: Puente Torres, Jeamichel, Crespo Sariol, Harold, Yperman, Jan, Adriaensens, Peter, Carleer, Robert, Mariño Peacok, Thayset, Brito Sauvanell, Ángel, Thijssen, Elsy, Reggers, Guy, Haeldermans, Tom, Samyn, Pieter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.12.2019
• Subjects: Activated carbon; Adsorption; Charcoal - chemistry; Digital image processing; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; Radiography - methods; Spectrometry, X-Ray Emission; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Thermogravimetry; Water Purification - instrumentation; Water Purification - methods; Water treatment; X-Ray Diffraction; X-ray radiography; X-Rays; Water treatment; X-ray radiography; Activated carbon; Digital image processing
• ISSN: 0039-9140; 1873-3573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2019.06.058

Analytical methods based on X-Ray radiation proved to be reliable and sensitive techniques to study activated carbons (ACs). An X-Ray absorption analysis based on digital radiographic images (XRA) is applied for the determination of the exhaustion degree of granular activated carbon (GAC) used in a water purification system for hemodialysis. XRA-method demonstrated the possibility to determine the exhaustion degree at different layers of the GAC filter. The results of the XRA-method were successfully correlated with X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), TGA, Elemental analysis (EA), SEM, TD-GC/MS, ATR-FTIR, X Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance relaxometry (NMR) analyses. It was demonstrated that the XRA-method is a fast and reliable analytical tool to give indirect information on the exhaustion degree of GAC at different layers. It is also demonstrated that XRA results can be correlated with the results of the other analytical techniques, rather dealing with the composition and morphology of GAC at different layers. [Display omitted] •X-ray absorption method gives detailed information about the exhausted level of AC layers.•Results of the X-ray method can be correlated with other conventional analytical methods.•It is proved that mostly Ca ions are adsorbed and complexed by the AC filter.•Digital image processing techniques on XRA images and SEM images give additional information on AC charcteristics.