Interface Science in Drinking Water Treatment: Theory and Applications

It is difficult to imagine anything more important to the human population than safe drinking water. Lack of clean drinking water is still the major cause of illness and death in young children in developing countries. In more fortunate communities, where water treatment is practiced, the primary aim of water authorities is to provide water that is free from pathogens and toxins. Most countries now have water quality regulations, or guidelines, which are driving water authorities to produce purer water, with the minimum of contamination from natural or man-made origin. At the same time, consumers are demanding that chemicals added during the treatment of drinking water be kept to a minimum. As a consequence, conventional clarification methods are being challenged to comply with the new regulations and restrictions and our understanding of the mechanisms involved is being tested as never before.

Interface Science in Drinking Water Treatment contains a rigorous review of water treatment practices from a fundamental viewpoint. The book includes material from leading experts in the field of water treatment, reviewing their specific fields of expertise against a background of colloid and surface chemistry, and examines each step of the journey from source to consumer tap. It therefore permits the reader to develop a deep understanding of the complex processes taking place and of the necessary treatments which are vital for the provision of safe and palatable drinking water. The book is aimed at researchers, educators and practitioners in science and engineering, particularly those involved in water treatment and colloidal chemistry.

Covers all existing water treatment processes, approached from a fundamental surface and colloid science viewpointUnique collection of R&D authors, all experts in water treatment processesComprehensive review of water treatment with a complete list of references

Chapter 1: Introduction.
Chapter 2: Coagulant characteristics and reactions.
Chapter 3: Floc formation and floc structure.
Chapter 4: Practical application of fractal dimension.
Chapter 5: Coagulation and flocculation with organic polyelectrolytes.
Chapter 6: Dissolved air flotation in drinking water treatment.
Chapter 7: Membrane filtration processes and fouling.
Chapter 8: Removal of natural organic material and algal metabolites using activated carbon.
Chapter 9: Surface chemistry effects in activated carbon adsorption of industrial pollutants.
Chapter 10: Manganese removal.
Chapter 11: Arsenic removal during drinking water treatment.
Chapter 12: Cryptosporidium/sand interactions during filtration.
Chapter 13: Dewatering of water treatment plant sludges.
Chapter 14: Biocorrosion in drinking water distribution systems.
Chapter 15: Adhesion analysis of scaling systems.
Chapter 16: Fate of particles in the distribution system.
Chapter 17: Natural organic matter.
Chapter 18: Fundamentals of particle stability.