Iron-containing nanominerals for sustainable phosphate management: A comprehensive review and future perspectives

Teng Bao; Mekdimu Mezemir Damtie; Chu Yan Wang; Cheng Long Li; Zhijie Chen; Kuk Cho; Wei Wei; Peng Yuan; Ray L Frost; Bing-Jie Ni

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172025

Iron-containing nanominerals for sustainable phosphate management: A comprehensive review and future perspectives

Sci Total Environ. 2024 May 20:926:172025. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172025. Epub 2024 Mar 29.

Authors

Teng Bao¹, Mekdimu Mezemir Damtie², Chu Yan Wang³, Cheng Long Li³, Zhijie Chen⁴, Kuk Cho⁵, Wei Wei⁶, Peng Yuan⁷, Ray L Frost⁸, Bing-Jie Ni⁹

Affiliations

¹ School of Biology, Food and Environment Engineering, Hefei University, China; Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, South Korea; Nanotechnology and Molecular Science Discipline, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
² Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; Water Resources Engineering Department, Adama Science and Technology University, Adama, P.O. Box 1888, Ethiopia.
³ School of Biology, Food and Environment Engineering, Hefei University, China.
⁴ School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
⁵ Department of Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Pusan National University, 2 Busandaehak-ro 63beon-gil, Geumjeong-gu, Busan 46241, South Korea.
⁶ Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
⁷ KAUST Catalysis Center (KCC), Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
⁸ Nanotechnology and Molecular Science Discipline, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), 2 George Street, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia.
⁹ Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia; School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia. Electronic address: bingjieni@gmail.com.

PMID: 38554954
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172025

Abstract

Adsorption, which is a quick and effective method for phosphate management, can effectively address the crisis of phosphorus mineral resources and control eutrophication. Phosphate management systems typically use iron-containing nanominerals (ICNs) with large surface areas and high activity, as well as modified ICNs (mICNs). This paper comprehensively reviews phosphate management by ICNs and mICNs in different water environments. mICNs have a higher affinity for phosphates than ICNs. Phosphate adsorption on ICNs and mICNs occurs through mechanisms such as surface complexation, surface precipitation, electrostatic ligand exchange, and electrostatic attraction. Ionic strength influences phosphate adsorption by changing the surface potential and isoelectric point of ICNs and mICNs. Anions exhibit inhibitory effects on ICNs and mICNs in phosphate adsorption, while cations display a promoting effect. More importantly, high concentrations and molecular weights of natural organic matter can inhibit phosphate adsorption by ICNs and mICNs. Sodium hydroxide has high regeneration capability for ICNs and mICNs. Compared to ICNs with high crystallinity, those with low crystallinity are less likely to desorb. ICNs and mICNs can effectively manage municipal wastewater, eutrophic seawater, and eutrophic lakes. Adsorption of ICNs and mICNs saturated with phosphate can be used as fertilizers in agricultural production. Notably, mICNs and ICNs have positive and negative effects on microorganisms and aquatic organisms in soil. Finally, this study introduces the following: trends and prospects of machine learning-guided mICN design, novel methods for modified ICNs, mICN regeneration, development of mICNs with high adsorption capacity and selectivity for phosphate, investigation of competing ions in different water environments by mICNs, and trends and prospects of in-depth research on the adsorption mechanism of phosphate by weakly crystalline ferrihydrite. This comprehensive review can provide novel insights into the research on high-performance mICNs for phosphate management in the future.

Keywords: Adsorption mechanism; Iron-containing nanominerals; Modification; Phosphate management; Phosphate resource recovery.

Publication types

Review