Phosphorus Fate and Dynamics in Greywater Biofiltration Systems
Harsha S Fowdar1,2, Belinda E Hatt1,2, Tom Cresswell3
1Monash Infrastructure Research Institute, Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University , Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
Environmental Science & Technology
|January 10, 2017
Summary
Biofiltration systems remove over 95% of phosphorus from stormwater. Plant uptake and media adsorption are key mechanisms, making plants like Carex appressa ideal for greywater treatment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Water Treatment
- Plant Science
Background:
- Phosphorus is a significant pollutant in stormwater.
- The fate of dissolved phosphorus in biofiltration systems is not well understood.
- Optimizing biofilters for greywater treatment requires knowledge of phosphorus partitioning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the fate of dissolved phosphorus in biofiltration systems.
- To quantify phosphorus partitioning between biofilter components.
- To identify optimal plant species for greywater biofiltration.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a mass balance method and a radiotracer (32P) at the laboratory scale.
- Investigated phosphorus concentrations of 2.5-3.5 mg/L, with >80% in dissolved inorganic form.
- Monitored planted columns over a 15-week study period.
Main Results:
- Biofilters achieved >95% phosphorus removal efficiency.
- Plant storage was the dominant phosphorus sink (64% on average).
- Adsorption was the immediate primary fate of dissolved phosphorus (up to 57%), with plant assimilation occurring subsequently.
Conclusions:
- Biofiltration is highly effective for phosphorus removal.
- Plant uptake and media adsorption are crucial for dissolved phosphorus retention.
- Plants with high nutrient uptake, like Carex appressa, are recommended for greywater biofilters.
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