Is phosphorus recovery from waste water feasible?

Environ Technol. 2007 Feb;28(2):165-72. doi: 10.1080/09593332808618774.

Abstract

Phosphorus (P) recovery from waste water must become a predominant goal of all countries to face the limited resources of this essential nutrient. The induced crystallisation of calcium phosphates straight from the waste water phase applying tobermorite-rich calcium silicate hydrate compounds (CSH) from the construction industry as the trigger material has proved to be a suitable method. Laboratory and semi-technical scale experiments were carried out in fixed bed, stirred reactor and expanded bed mode. P-loads of the crystallisation substrates of up to 13 wt-% total P (P-tot) (30 wt-% P2O5) were achieved. Recycling options of the generated products, both as substitute for phosphate rock in the phosphate industry and as a new fertiliser in agriculture, were demonstrated. Indicative operating and investment costs were estimated for conversion of conventional waste water treatment plants (WWTP) designed for nutrient removal and P-precipitation with iron and aluminium reagents to the proposed new crystallisation technology for simultaneous P-removal and P-recovery.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Calcium Compounds / chemistry
  • Conservation of Natural Resources / economics
  • Conservation of Natural Resources / methods*
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Crystallization
  • Fertilizers
  • Phosphorus / chemistry
  • Phosphorus / isolation & purification*
  • Silicates / chemistry
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / economics
  • Waste Disposal, Fluid / methods*
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / chemistry
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical / isolation & purification*

Substances

  • Calcium Compounds
  • Fertilizers
  • Silicates
  • Water Pollutants, Chemical
  • Phosphorus
  • calcium silicate