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Extraction and Precipitation of Phosphorus From Sewage Sludge

Extraction and Precipitation of Phosphorus From Sewage Sludge

Nothando Cynthia Shiba, Freeman Ntuli

Waste Manag. 2017 Feb;60:191-200.

PMID: 27481032

Abstract:

Raw sewage sludge from East Rand Water Care Association (ERWAT) had high phosphorus (P) content, approximately 15.2% (w/w) P2O5, which indicates a potential resource for the limiting nutrient. Leaching sewage sludge with 1M sulphuric acid at 5% solid loading for 2h resulted in an 82% phosphorus extraction. However, the phosphorus was recovered as iron phosphates, thus a further purification step using ion exchange to remove iron was required to increase the degree of P release. Magnesium oxide and ammonium hydroxide were used as magnesium and nitrogen sources, respectively, as well as pH regulators to precipitate P as struvite. 57% struvite was precipitated and the total phosphorus content of the precipitate was 25.9%. Kinetic studies showed that the leaching of phosphorus follows the Dickinson model for the first 100min with a rate of reaction of about 2×10-5s-1. The rate limiting step is controlled by diffusion. Phosphorus solubility in 2% critic acid was almost 96%, which is the amount of phosphorus available to plants if the precipitate is applied as a fertiliser. Environmental, gram-positive Bacillus subtilis were found in the precipitate, which are harmless to the environment since they already exist in the soil where the precipitate can be applied as a fertiliser.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number	Product Name	Structure	CAS Number	Price
CS35540	Sulfur in Water - WP			Price

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