Rare earth elements (REE) for the removal and recovery of phosphorus: A review

Anitha Kunhikrishnan; Md Aminur Rahman; Dane Lamb; Nanthi S Bolan; Surinder Saggar; Aravind Surapaneni; Chengrong Chen

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131661

Rare earth elements (REE) for the removal and recovery of phosphorus: A review

Chemosphere. 2022 Jan;286(Pt 2):131661. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131661. Epub 2021 Jul 23.

Authors

Anitha Kunhikrishnan¹, Md Aminur Rahman², Dane Lamb³, Nanthi S Bolan⁴, Surinder Saggar⁵, Aravind Surapaneni⁶, Chengrong Chen⁷

Affiliations

¹ Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Science, Engineering and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. Electronic address: Anitha.Kunhikrishnan@newcastle.edu.au.
² Global Centre for Environmental Remediation, College of Science, Engineering and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE), Zonal Laboratory, Khulna, 9100, Bangladesh.
³ Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Global Innovation Centre for Advanced Nanomaterials, College of Science, Engineering and Environment, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Chemical and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia. Electronic address: dane.lamb@rmit.edu.au.
⁴ Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; School of Agriculture and Environment, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia; The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, 6001, Australia; School of Engineering, College of Engineering, Science and Environment, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.
⁵ Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand.
⁶ Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; South East Water, 101 Wells Street, Frankston, Victoria, 3199, Australia; ARC Training Centre for the Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource, RMIT University, Bundoora West, Victoria, 3083, Australia.
⁷ Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia; School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, 4111, Australia.

PMID: 34426135
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131661

Abstract

There is little doubt that 'rock phosphate' reserves are decreasing, with phosphorus (P) peak to be reached in the coming decades. Hence, removal and recovery of phosphorus (P) from alternative nutrient-rich waste streams is critical and of great importance owing to its essential role in agricultural productivity. Adsorption technique is efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable for P recovery from waste streams which otherwise can cause eutrophication in receiving waters. As selective P sorption using rare earth elements (REE) are gaining considerable attention, this review extensively focuses on P recovery by utilising a range of REE-incorporated adsorbents. The review briefly provides existing knowledge of P in various waste streams, and examines the chemistry and behaviour of REE in soil and water in detail. The impact of interfering ions on P removal using REE, adsorbent regeneration for reuse, and life cycle assessment of REE are further explored. While it is clear that REE-sorbents have excellent potential to recover P from wastewaters and to be used as fertilisers, there are gaps to be addressed. Future studies should target recovery and reuse of REE as P fertilisers using real wastewaters. More field trials of synthesized REE-sorbents are highly recommended before practical application.

Keywords: Fertiliser; Organic waste streams; Phosphorus; Rare earth elements; Recovery.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Adsorption
Eutrophication
Fertilizers
Metals, Rare Earth*
Phosphorus*

Substances

Fertilizers
Metals, Rare Earth
Phosphorus