Modeling phosphate transport and removal in a compact bed filled with a mineral-based sorbent for domestic wastewater treatment

Abstract

Phosphorus filter units containing mineral-based sorbents with a high phosphate (PO4) binding capacity have been shown to be appropriate for removing PO4 in the treatment of domestic wastewater in on-site facilities. However, a better understanding of their PO4 removal mechanisms, and reactions that could lead to the formation of PO4 compounds, is required to evaluate the potential utility of candidate sorbents. Models based on data obtained from laboratory-scale experiments with columns of selected materials can be valuable for acquiring such understanding. Thus, in this study the transport and removal of PO4 in experiments with a laboratory-scale column filled with a commercial silicate-based sorbent were modeled, using the hydro-geochemical transport code PHREEQC. The resulting models, that incorporated the dissolution of calcite, kinetic constrains for the dissolution of calcium oxide (CaO) and wollastonite (CaSiO3), and the precipitation of amorphous tricalcium phosphate, Ca-3(PO4)(2), successfully simulated the removal of PO4 observed in the experiments. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Reactive transport modeling; On-site wastewater treatment; Filtration; PHREEQC; Constructed wetlands; Phosphorus

Published in

Journal of Contaminant Hydrology
2013, Volume: 154, pages: 70-77
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

SLU Authors

• Gustafsson, Jon-Petter

  • Department of Soil and Environment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG3 Good health and well-being
SDG6 Clean water and sanitation


UKÄ Subject classification

Other Environmental Engineering
Geochemistry


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconhyd.2013.08.007

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/51208