Refixation of phosphates released during bio-P sludge handling as struvite or aluminium phosphate

Phosphate release and phosphate fixation during sludge treatment of waste activated sludge was investigated with a pilot plant for enhanced biological phosphorus removal, complemented by laboratory investigations of sludge samples from different large enhanced biological phosphorus removal plants. The major part of the eliminated phosphorus in the pilot plant was due to the storage of polyphosphate in the waste activated sludge and was accompanied by an uptake of magnesium and potassium. Stabilising waste activated sludge from the enhanced biological phosphorus removal pilot plant results in a hydrolysis of polyphosphate. As a result of polyphosphate hydrolysis in stabilising systems, phosphate, magnesium and potassium are released, but only potassium remains in solution whereas magnesium and a part of the released phosphate was precipitated as struvite. Another large fraction of the released phosphate was fixed by participation of aluminium.