Influence of aging on phosphorus sorption to alum floc in lake water

Alum is often added to eutrophic lakes to limit the release of phosphorus from sediments. This study quantified the effect of age and extent of crystallization on the phosphate (PO4-P) sorption capacity of alum floc. Aluminum hydroxide flocs were formed from alum addition at a dose of 25 mg/L of Al3+ to Big Bear Lake waters returned to the laboratory; flocs were then aged for 4, 20, 50, 120, and 180 days in the treated lake waters. The physical and mineralogical properties of the alum floc were characterized using surface area and thermal analyses. Phosphate sorption to the floc was evaluated using filtered lake water and NaCl/NaHCO3 solutions spiked with PO4-P concentrations ranging from 0 to 100 mg/L. The Langmuir model provided reasonable fits to data (r2 = 0.97-1.00), from which sorption constants and sorption maxima were determined. Phosphate sorption decreased with increased floc age and crystallinity and decreased surface area. Phosphate sorption maximum of the alum floc aged for 6 months was about 50% lower than freshly precipitated floc, while the binding constant, Kads, decreased approximately 65% over this same time period.