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Struvite Phosphorus Recovery from Aerobically Digested Municipal Wastewater

Author

Listed:
  • John F. Hallas

    (Talquin Electric Cooperative Inc., Quincy, FL 32351, USA)

  • Cheryl L. Mackowiak

    (North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida-IFAS, Quincy, FL 32351 USA)

  • Ann C. Wilkie

    (Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida-IFAS, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA)

  • Willie G. Harris

    (Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida-IFAS, Gainesville, FL 32611 USA)

Abstract

Small, municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that use aerobic digestion treat approximately 40% of the discharged wastewater in the USA, and yet they are an overlooked source of recoverable P. There are no known reports of small, aerobic WWTPs recovering P through struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 ·6H 2 O) precipitation for repurposing as a mineral fertilizer, even though some large WWTPs with anaerobic digestion are. Four small WWTPs in north Florida, USA, with treatment capacities from 371 to 2650 m 3 wastewater d −1 and incoming P loads from 2 to 14 kg d −1 were investigated for their potential to produce struvite from digester filtrates. A chemical equilibrium model was used to predict the feasibility of struvite production and the results compared with actual WWTP filtrate measurements. Filtrates from aerobic digesters were able to form struvite if solution pH was increased by ≤1 pH unit. Depending on the WWTP, P recovery in filtrates through struvite precipitation ranged from 27–57% by mass at pH 8.5, via NaOH additions or air sparging. Increasing filtrate Mg concentrations improved P recovery up to 97%. Based upon these results, small WWTPs using aerobic digestion will be able to lower their P waste output through recovery as struvite fertilizer.

Suggested Citation

  • John F. Hallas & Cheryl L. Mackowiak & Ann C. Wilkie & Willie G. Harris, 2019. "Struvite Phosphorus Recovery from Aerobically Digested Municipal Wastewater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-12, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:2:p:376-:d:197277
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Carolina González-Morales & Belén Fernández & Francisco J. Molina & Darío Naranjo-Fernández & Adriana Matamoros-Veloza & Miller Alonso Camargo-Valero, 2021. "Influence of pH and Temperature on Struvite Purity and Recovery from Anaerobic Digestate," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Karla G. Morrissey & Leah English & Greg Thoma & Jennie Popp, 2022. "Prospective Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Analysis of Novel Electrochemical Struvite Recovery in a U.S. Wastewater Treatment Plant," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-23, October.
    3. Marcin Dębowski & Marcin Zieliński, 2020. "Technological Effectiveness of Sugar-Industry Effluent Methane Fermentation in a Fluidized Active Filling Reactor (FAF-R)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-17, December.
    4. Maria Concetta Tomei & Valentina Stazi & Saba Daneshgar & Andrea G. Capodaglio, 2020. "Holistic Approach to Phosphorus Recovery from Urban Wastewater: Enhanced Biological Removal Combined with Precipitation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-12, January.

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