Feature
the sacrificial magnesium anode, releasing magnesium
ions into the solution where they react with the
phosphorus and nitrogen to form struvite.
While selling fertilizer is a nice perk for municipalities,
regulations still rule the day; otherwise, fertilizer sales
will be going toward EPA fines. The electrochemical
process performed admirably in this regard as well,
lowering phosphorus concentrations by 99.7 percent
to values under 2 mg/L during long-term trials in a
continuous laboratory plant. The next step is testing
the process in the real world, which is currently taking
place with mobile pilot plants at municipal WWTPs.
If all goes well, it will be yet another option in a
burgeoning sector of the wastewater industry.
As the need for nutrient recovery continues to grow,
so too does the technology. Now it's just time for
wastewater treatment professionals to hop on board
and help save the world.
wateronline.com
References
1. University of Hohenheim [https://www.uni-hohenheim.de/respta/poster/
urine_fert.pdf]
2. "Risks and Opportunities in the Global Phosphate Rock Market," The Hague
Centre for Strategic Studies (2012)
3. "World Phosphate Rock Reserves and Resources," International Fertilizer
Development Center (2010)
4. International Fertilizer Industry Association [www.fertilizer.org/ifa/HomePage/
SUSTAINABILITY/Phosphorus-peak-phosphate]
Kevin Westerling has served as the editor of Water Online,
the Internet's premier source for water and wastewater
solutions, since 2008. Kevin's education includes a bachelor's
degree in English literature, a minor in journalism, and
certification as a web content developer. He can be reached at
editor@wateronline.com.
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Water Online The Magazine
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