An Evaluation of the Possible Uses of CNT in Flow Conditions for Removing Humic Substances from Water

This study concerns an evaluation of humic substance removal during an adsorption process on three sorbents: two consisting of carbon nanotubes embedded on a polymer (polypropylene and polyethylene) and granulated active carbon as a reference. The results that were obtained show a significantly lower organic substance removal effectiveness in the case of sorbents containing carbon nanotubes, with an insignificantly lower unit effectiveness (mg/g) of the nanosorbents during first two hours of adsorption. Unfortunately, nanosorbents only allow removing substances with a low molecular weight and high aromaticity, which significantly reduces the possibility of its use in technical conditions for naturally occurring water and the sorption capacity nanotubes were significantly lower in comparison to the GAC