Phosphorus Removal from Municipal Wastewater by Hydrous Ferric Oxide Reactive Filtration and Coupled Chemically Enhanced Secondary Treatment: Part II—Mechanism

Authors: Newcombe, R. L; Strawn, D. G; Grant, T. M; Childers, S. E; Möller, G

Source: Water Environment Research, Volume 80, Number 3, March 2008 , pp. 248-256(9)

Publisher: Water Environment Federation

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Abstract:

The removal mechanism of a hydrous ferric oxide (HFO) reactive filtration (RF) process with coupled chemically enhanced secondary treatment (RECYCLE) for phosphorus removal from municipal wastewater (HFO-RF-RECYCLE) was examined. A 0.95-ML/d (0.25-mgd) demonstration of HFO-RF-RECYCLE was performed at a municipal wastewater treatment plant equipped with oxidation ditches and secondary clarifiers. Influent to the plant averaged 6.0 mg/L phosphorus, with a 3-month tertiary effluent average of 0.011 mg/L phosphorus. In addition to aqueous geochemical modeling, experiments with surface charge, scanning electron microscopy, adsorptive capacity, thermal desorption, and most probable number of iron(III)-reducing bacteria were performed on samples from the system, to determine the major phosphorus-removal pathways. Results suggest that, in addition to filtration of particulate phosphorus, the low tertiary effluent total phosphorus result was achieved by adsorption.

Keywords: phosphorus; wastewater; reactive filtration; hydrous ferric oxide; iron; adsorption; iron-reducing bacteria

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.2175/106143007X220987

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