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Advances in Struvite Precipitation Technologies for Nutrients Removal and Recovery from Aqueous Waste and Wastewater

Author

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  • Alessio Siciliano

    (Laboratory of Environmental Sanitary Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy)

  • Carlo Limonti

    (Laboratory of Environmental Sanitary Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy)

  • Giulia Maria Curcio

    (Laboratory of Environmental Sanitary Engineering, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy)

  • Raffaele Molinari

    (Laboratory of Chemical Fundaments of Membrane Technologies, Department of Environmental Engineering, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende (CS), Italy)

Abstract

The abatement of nutrient compounds from aqueous waste and wastewater is currently a priority issue. Indeed, the uncontrolled discharge of high levels of nutrients into water bodies causes serious deteriorations of environmental quality. On the other hand, the increasing request of nutrient compounds for agronomic utilizations makes it strictly necessary to identify technologies able to recover the nutrients from wastewater streams so as to avoid the consumption of natural resources. In this regard, the removal and recovery of nitrogen and phosphorus from aqueous waste and wastewater as struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 ·6H 2 O) represents an attractive approach. Indeed, through the struvite precipitation it is possible to effectively remove the ammonium and phosphate content of many types of wastewater and to produce a solid compound, with only a trace of impurities. This precipitate, due to its chemical characteristics, represents a valuable multi-nutrients slow release fertilizer for vegetables and plants growth. For these reasons, the struvite precipitation technology constantly progresses on several aspects of the process. This manuscript provides a comprehensive review on the recent developments in this technology for the removal and recovery of nutrients from aqueous waste and wastewater. The theoretical background, the parameters, and the operating conditions affecting the process evolution are initially presented. After that, the paper focuses on the reagents exploitable to promote the process performance, with particular regard to unconventional low-cost compounds. In addition, the development of reactors configurations, the main technologies implemented on field scale, as well as the recent works on the use of struvite in agronomic practices are presented.

Suggested Citation

  • Alessio Siciliano & Carlo Limonti & Giulia Maria Curcio & Raffaele Molinari, 2020. "Advances in Struvite Precipitation Technologies for Nutrients Removal and Recovery from Aqueous Waste and Wastewater," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-35, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:18:p:7538-:d:412807
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
    2. Alessio Siciliano & Maria Assuntina Stillitano & Carlo Limonti, 2016. "Energetic Valorization of Wet Olive Mill Wastes through a Suitable Integrated Treatment: H 2 O 2 with Lime and Anaerobic Digestion," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-15, November.
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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. Aftab Ali Kubar & Qing Huang & Muhammad Sajjad & Chen Yang & Faqin Lian & Junfeng Wang & Kashif Ali Kubar, 2021. "The Recovery of Phosphate and Ammonium from Biogas Slurry as Value-Added Fertilizer by Biochar and Struvite Co-Precipitation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-17, March.
    3. Yifan Zhou & Yingying Zhu & Jinyuan Zhu & Chaoran Li & Geng Chen, 2023. "A Comprehensive Review on Wastewater Nitrogen Removal and Its Recovery Processes," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-27, February.
    4. Daniel Szopa & Paulina Wróbel & Beata Anwajler & Anna Witek-Krowiak, 2024. "Hydrogel Applications in Nitrogen and Phosphorus Compounds Recovery from Water and Wastewater: An Overview," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-29, July.
    5. Kazi Parvez Fattah & Sarah Sinno & Serter Atabay & Zahid Khan & Zahraa Al-Dawood & Alaa Kamel Yasser & Riyad Temam, 2022. "Impact of Magnesium Sources for Phosphate Recovery and/or Removal from Waste," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-12, June.
    6. Carla Mae Jabar Pausta & Michael Angelo Baliwag Promentilla & Alberto Leyes Longos & Aileen Huelgas Orbecido & Arnel Bas Beltran & Regina Gador Damalerio & Maria Eda Apple Artesano Suplido & Devendra , 2023. "Resource-Oriented Sanitation: On-Farm Septage Treatment and Nutrient Recycling for Sustainable Agriculture in the Philippines," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    7. Augusto Bianchini & Jessica Rossi, 2020. "An Integrated Industry-Based Methodology to Unlock Full-Scale Implementation of Phosphorus Recovery Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-17, December.
    8. Işık Kabdaşlı & Alessio Siciliano & Carlo Limonti & Olcay Tünay, 2022. "Is K-Struvite Precipitation a Plausible Nutrient Recovery Method from Potassium-Containing Wastes?—A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-35, September.
    9. Nicola Di Costanzo & Alessandra Cesaro & Francesco Di Capua & Giovanni Esposito, 2021. "Exploiting the Nutrient Potential of Anaerobically Digested Sewage Sludge: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-25, December.
    10. Marzena Smol, 2021. "Transition to Circular Economy in the Fertilizer Sector—Analysis of Recommended Directions and End-Users’ Perception of Waste-Based Products in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.
    11. Md Tahmid Islam & Al Ibtida Sultana & Cadianne Chambers & Swarna Saha & Nepu Saha & Kawnish Kirtania & M. Toufiq Reza, 2022. "Recent Progress on Emerging Applications of Hydrochar," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-45, December.

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