| Biological processes are receiving increasing interest as a means of drinking water treatment in North America. The implementation of biological processes will be facilitated if tools can be developed to predict their performance under various operating conditions and raw water qualities. A pilot plant research project funded by the American Water Works Association Research Foundation is examining whether biofilm process fundamentals and kinetics largely developed for wastewater treatment can be applied to the design and operation of biofilm processes in drinking water treatment. Important parameters required in this regard are the thickness and density of the biofilm on sand, anthracite or granular activated carbon (GAC) in biological filters or GAC contactors. This thesis reviews various methods investigated to measure there parameters and presents and interprets results obtained with the methods selected. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
