1. HOME
  2. Products
  3. Processes and Equipment
  4. Water treatment systems
  5. Phosphorus Removal

Phosphorus Removal

• Description: Urban wastewater usually contains 5 to 20 mg/l total phosphorus, of which 1 - 5 mg/l is organic and the rest is inorganic. Its individual contribution tends to increase since phosphorus is one of the main components of synthetic detergents. The individual contribution of phosphorus varies between 0.65 and 4.80 g/inhabitant per day with an average about 2.18 g.

Emission control of phosphorus from urban and industrial wastewater treatment plants is a key factor for the eutrophication of surface waters prevention. Phosphorus is one of the nutrients that contributes in a greater degree to the eutrophication of lakes and natural waters. Its presence causes many problems into water quality, including increases on purification costs, the decrease in recreation value and lagooning conservation, loss of natural populations and a possible deadly effect of toxins in drinking water.

Phosphorus removal is normally achieved by chemical precipitation, that turns out to be expensive and causes an increase into mud volume up to 40%. An alternative to this is the biological phosphorus removal (BPR).

• Design ranges: phosphorus removal from wastewater involves the addition of phosphates in total suspended solids and the consequent elimination of these solids. Phosphorus can be incorporated in biological solids (e.g. microorganisms) or chemical precipitates.

Important factors to consider in the design:

  • Dosage of a precipitation compound and complete blending into a wastewater stream.
  • Reaction between precipitating cations and phosphate anions, as well as other anions (precipitation reaction).
  • Destabilization of the colloid content in wastewater and cohesion in microflocules (coagulation).
  • Flocs formation, i.e. formation of easy separation macroflocules starting from microflocules.
  • Separation of the macroflocules in wastewater.

• Applications: Industrial plants (metallurgical, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, etc.).

• Benefits:

     a. Low cost of operation and maintenance.

     b. Neutralization of pollutants prior to their release into atmosphere.