Phosphate adsorption from water and wastewater using non-devulcanised and devulcanised tyre rubber
Tomas Januševičius1, Julita Šarko1, Aušra Mažeikienė1
1Department of Environmental Protection and Water Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, 10223, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Heliyon
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Devulcanised tyre rubber effectively sorbs phosphorus from wastewater, accumulating five times more than non-devulcanised rubber. This sustainable material shows promise for environmental remediation and water treatment applications.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Materials Science
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Secondary use of tyre rubber offers sustainable environmental solutions.
- Sorption properties of used tyre rubber require further investigation.
- Phosphorus removal from wastewater is crucial for environmental protection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine which tyre rubber type (vulcanised or devulcanised) more effectively sorbs phosphate phosphorus.
- To evaluate the phosphorus adsorption capacity of non-devulcanised and devulcanised rubber granules.
- To compare the effectiveness of tyre rubber sorbents with natural and waste-prepared sorbents.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory evaluation of phosphorus adsorption by non-devulcanised and devulcanised rubber granules (0.3-1.0 mm diameter).
- Filtration of aqueous solutions and biologically treated wastewater at a flow rate of 0.75 m/h.
- Analysis of phosphorus accumulation per gram of rubber medium.
Main Results:
- Devulcanised rubber medium accumulated 5.16 mg of phosphorus per gram, five times more than non-devulcanised rubber.
- The surface structure of non-devulcanised rubber is more suitable for devulcanised rubber granules.
- Tyre rubber demonstrated superior phosphorus removal compared to tested natural and waste-prepared sorbents.
Conclusions:
- Chemically devulcanised tyre rubber exhibits significantly higher phosphorus sorption capacity.
- Tyre rubber is a promising, effective, and sustainable sorbent for phosphorus removal from wastewater.
- Further research is recommended for utilising tyre rubber in filter layers and drainage accumulation.
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