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Overview and description of technologies for recovering phosphorus from municipal wastewater

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  • Egle, Lukas
  • Rechberger, Helmut
  • Zessner, Matthias

Abstract

Over the past years, numerous technologies have been developed to recover phosphorus (P) from waste streams to repair currently broken nutrient cycles. These developments were largely triggered by environmental considerations (sustainability, resource efficiency), concerns regarding the finite and geopolitically concentrated deposits of raw phosphate ore, and phosphate price increases. Municipal wastewater is a promising and viable source to recover P in larger quantities, to re-establish a circular economy and therefore increase net use efficiency. This work compiles the latest knowledge on approaches to recover P from municipal wastewater and related waste flows with a specific focus on the existing well-developed wastewater management infrastructure, available in significant parts of Europe (e.g., secondary treated effluent, digester supernatant, sewage sludge, sewage sludge ash). About 50 technologies were identified at various levels of development (industrial-, full-, pilot- and laboratory scale). The current selection of P recovery processes is broad and ranges from simple precipitation of dissolved P to complex multi-step approaches, and only a few of these displayed potential for full-scale implementation. They are discussed with regard to their technical principles, process parameters, recovery efficiency, resource demand, possible effects on wastewater treatment, waste flows, and fate of pollutants. We also evaluated them with respect to their rates of P removal from wastewater and their access points of P recovery. For selected technologies, material flow models are presented to facilitate the understanding of even complex processes. This work serves as a basis for future integrated comparative assessments of selected recovery approaches according to technical, environmental and economic criteria.

Suggested Citation

  • Egle, Lukas & Rechberger, Helmut & Zessner, Matthias, 2015. "Overview and description of technologies for recovering phosphorus from municipal wastewater," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 105(PB), pages 325-346.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:105:y:2015:i:pb:p:325-346
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.09.016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Ott, Christian & Rechberger, Helmut, 2012. "The European phosphorus balance," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 159-172.
    2. Egle, L. & Zoboli, O. & Thaler, S. & Rechberger, H. & Zessner, M., 2014. "The Austrian P budget as a basis for resource optimization," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 152-162.
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    1. Viola Somogyi & Viktória Pitás & Kinga M. Berta & Róbert Kurdi, 2022. "Red Mud as Adsorbent to Recover Phosphorous from Wastewater Streams," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-15, October.
    2. Scholz, Roland W. & Wellmer, Friedrich-Wilhelm, 2015. "Losses and use efficiencies along the phosphorus cycle – Part 2: Understanding the concept of efficiency," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 105(PB), pages 259-274.
    3. Heidi M. Peterson & Lawrence A. Baker & Rimjhim M. Aggarwal & Treavor H. Boyer & Neng Iong Chan, 2022. "A transition management framework to stimulate a circular phosphorus system," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 1713-1737, February.
    4. Hai Bang Truong & Thi Cuc Phuong Tran & Thi Phuong Nguyen & Thi Thao Nguyen Nguyen & Doan Thi Oanh & Duong Thi Thuy & Xuan Cuong Nguyen, 2023. "Biochar-Based Phosphorus Recovery from Different Waste Streams: Sources, Mechanisms, and Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-21, October.
    5. Anna Jama-Rodzeńska & Piotr Chohura & Bernard Gałka & Anna Szuba-Trznadel & Agnieszka Falkiewicz & Monika Białkowska, 2022. "Effect of Different Doses of Phosgreen Fertilization on Chlorophyll, K, and Ca Content in Butterhead Lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L.) Grown in Peat Substrate," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-11, May.
    6. Zhe Wang & Shuai Guan & Yajuan Wang & Wen Li & Ke Shi & Jiake Li & Zhiqiang Xu, 2022. "High Purity Struvite Recovery from Hydrothermally-Treated Sludge Supernatant Using Magnetic Zirconia Adsorbent," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-16, October.
    7. Luo, Zhibo & Ma, Shujie & Hu, Shanying & Chen, Dingjiang, 2017. "Towards the sustainable development of the regional phosphorus resources industry in China: A system dynamics approach," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C), pages 186-197.
    8. Dahlin, Johannes & Nelles, Michael & Herbes, Carsten, 2017. "Biogas digestate management: Evaluating the attitudes and perceptions of German gardeners towards digestate-based soil amendments," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 27-38.
    9. Aftab Ali Kubar & Qing Huang & Kashif Ali Kubar & Muhammad Amjad Khan & Muhammad Sajjad & Sumaira Gul & Chen Yang & Qingqing Wang & Genmao Guo & Ghulam Mustafa Kubar & Muhammad Ibrahim Kubar & Niaz Ah, 2022. "Ammonium and Phosphate Recovery from Biogas Slurry: Multivariate Statistical Analysis Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-20, May.
    10. Monika Kasina & Kinga Jarosz, 2023. "Chemical and Microbiological Techniques for Recovery and/or Removal of Elements from Incinerated Sewage Sludge Ash—A Review of Basic Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-21, March.
    11. Alan Alvarez-Holguin & Gabriel Sosa-Perez & Omar Castor Ponce-Garcia & Carlos Rene Lara-Macias & Federico Villarreal-Guerrero & Carlos Gustavo Monzon-Burgos & Jesus Manuel Ochoa-Rivero, 2022. "The Impact of Treated Wastewater Irrigation on the Metabolism of Barley Grown in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-16, February.
    12. Conor Watson & Joachim Clemens & Florian Wichern, 2020. "Hazenite: a new secondary phosphorus, potassium and magnesium fertiliser," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 66(1), pages 1-6.

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