Recovery oriented phosphorus adsorption process in decentralized advanced Johkasou.
1National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2 Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan. ebie.yoshitaka@nies.go.jp
Summary
A new decentralized wastewater treatment system effectively removes phosphorus using zirconium adsorbents. This sustainable method allows for phosphorus recovery and adsorbent reuse, aiding in recycling finite resources.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Engineering
- Water Treatment Technologies
- Materials Science
Background:
- Conventional wastewater treatment often struggles with efficient phosphorus removal.
- Recycling phosphorus is crucial due to its finite nature and environmental impact.
- Decentralized systems offer localized solutions for wastewater management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a decentralized advanced wastewater treatment system for phosphorus removal and recovery.
- To evaluate the efficacy and durability of zirconium-based adsorbents.
- To establish a method for high-purity phosphorus recovery and adsorbent reactivation.
Main Methods:
- Installation of zirconium adsorbent columns downstream of Johkasou (household wastewater treatment units).
- Monitoring of effluent water quality for phosphorus concentration over extended periods.
- Alkali desorption for phosphorus recovery and acid reactivation for adsorbent reuse.
Main Results:
- Effluent phosphorus concentration consistently below 1 mg/L for 90 days across all sites.
- Over 80% of sites achieved T-P below 1 mg/L for 200 days.
- Adsorbent demonstrated durability with no observed deterioration and maintained high adsorption capacity after reactivation.
- High-purity trisodium phosphate recovered via crystallization.
Conclusions:
- The developed decentralized system offers an effective solution for phosphorus removal from wastewater.
- Zirconium-based adsorbents are durable, reusable, and facilitate sustainable phosphorus recovery.
- This technology provides a pathway for high-purity recovery of phosphorus, contributing to resource recycling.
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