본 연구에서는 정수기 내 카본 블록 필터의 재활용을 위하여 잔류 염소 제거율을 기반으로 간이 용량 추정치 평가를 수행하였다. 잔류 염소 제거율을 활용한 잔여 용량 추정치 평가 실험 결과 총 100개의 재활용 카본 블록 필터 중 76개가 90% 이상의 잔여 용량을 나타냈으며, 90% 잔여 용량을 나타낸 필터 중 31개는 프리 카본 블록 필터, 45개는 포스트 카본 블록 필터였다. 이를 통해 대부분의 카본 블록 필터가 잔여 용량이 남은 채 폐기되고 있음을 확인하였다. 프리 카본 블록 필터와 포스트 카본 블록 필터 중 포스트 카본 블록 필터가 상대적으로 잔여 용량이 높은 것으로 판단되었으며, 총인, 총질소 제거율과의 통계적 분석을 통해 각각 0.968, 0.9732의 높은 결정계수를 도출하여 지표의 부합성을 확인하였다. 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로, 정수기 카본 블록 필터의 재활용 시 포스트 카본 블록 필터를 선제적으로 활용할 수 있음을 확인하였으며, 잔류염소 제거율 평가를 정수기 필터의 교체 시스템에 반영하여 자원순환에 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

This study evaluated the residual capacity of carbon block filters in household water purifiers by measuring their residual chlorine removal efficiency. Analysis of 100 recycled filters revealed that 76% retained over 90% of their capacity, including 31 pre-carbon and 45 post-carbon filters. This finding indicates that filters are often discarded while still possessing significant remaining capacity, with post-carbon filters exhibiting higher residual capacity than pre-carbon filters. Statistical analysis demonstrated strong relationships between the residual chlorine removal efficiency and the removal efficiencies of total phosphorus (T-P) and total nitrogen (T-N), yielding the high coefficients of determination (0.968 and 0.9732, respectively). Thus, these results suggest that prioritizing the recycling of post-carbon block filters and integrating the removal efficiency of residual chlorine as a performance indicator into residual capacity assessment

systems for reused carbon block filters could enhance resource circulation.

Remaining capacity, Recycled carbon block filter, Water purifier, Residual chlorine

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