Phosphorus Removal & Recovery in full-scale

wastewater treatment plants

Devendra Saroj PhD, FHEA

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences
University of Surrey, United Kingdom
d.saroj@surrey.ac.uk
30AA03, Tel. Extn. 6634
 Municipal wastewater treatment
• Wastewater treatment to
European Union
comply with discharge BOD < 25 mg/L
regulations
• Various levels of treatment
• Preliminary and Primary
treatment, secondary
(biological) treatment and
tertiary/advanced treatment
• Advanced wastewater
treatment for water reuse

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 Substrate and Micro-organisms
• BOD removal
» Heterotrophic bacteria
» C (BOD) + O2 (air supply) = CO2 + Biomass (MLSS, sludge)

• BOD removal and Nitrification

» Autotrophic bacteria
» NH4-N + O2 (air supply) = NO3 + Biomass (MLSS, sludge) ---
small fraction of total biomass in ASP

• BOD removal and total nitrogen removal

» Autotrophic bacteria for Nitrification
» Heterotrophic bacteria for BOD and NO3 removal
» NO3 N2 + Biomass
» Under anoxic condition, Heterotrophic bacteria can utilise NO3
(instead of O2)

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 Phosphorous removal
• Chemical P-removal
– Use of chemicals such as FeCl3 to precipitate phosphate-P
– P stays in sludge (large amount: chemical sludge)

• Biological P-removal
– Design the ASP with additional anaerobic biological process unit to
support the growth of micro-organisms accumulating P into biomass.
– The process is known as: Enhanced Biological Phosphorous Removal
(EBPR)
– The responsible micro-organisms: Phosphorous accumulating
Organism (PAO)
– P stays in biomass sludge
– Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR)
– Biological Nitrogen Removal (Autotrophic, Heterotrophic)
– EBPR (PAOs)

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 Biological process schemes

1.
Only aerobic
compartment

britanica.com
2.
3.
Anoxi Aerobi Anaer Anoxi Aerobi
c c obic c c

Aerobic Aerobic, anoxic

And Anoxic and anaerobic

1. Carbon (BOD/COD) removal+ Nitrification

2. No.1+ Denitrification (i.e. Carbon+Nitrogen removal)
3. No.2+ Biological P removal
4. No.2+ Chemical P-removal (option for No.3)

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Background
• P is a finite natural resource; on the other hand large quantities of
it are released in the aquatic environment causing Eutrophication.

• World is dependent on ‘phosphate giants’ – Morocco, USA, China

• Population boom & changing diets is leading to an increase in P

fertiliser use

• ‘Leaky’ phosphorus supply chain – harvest, distribution losses, etc.

• WWTW are an ideal point source for the recovery of P

Critical Raw Materials
P
P \P
Largest UK Phosphorus imports
exporter
~ 40%
Global Phosphorus Cycle

Unit: Megatonnes/year.
Phosphorus Recovery in WWTW

* Point source
* Struvite problem

* Phosphate rich fertiliser

* Close phosphorus loop on small scale
Struvite Formation in WWTP

WWTP
Phosphorus Recovery

* Finite natural resource

* Dependence on few phosphate reserves
* Population boom
* “Leaky” phosphorus cycle
* Closing the phosphorus loop
 Video
http://on.aol.co.uk/video/eco-fertiliser-sewage-plan-a-first-518002208

http://www.ostara.com/sloughUK

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KhYT6XxY4
Or
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24824681
New Phosphorus Cycle
Benefits for WWTW

* Reduced struvite precipitation

* Less iron dosing
* Reduced energy & maintenance
* Reduced phosphorus load
* Fertiliser revenue
Impact on Global Phosphorus Cycle

* Local fertiliser production

* Close the phosphorus loop
* Dependence on few phosphate reserves
* Slow release fertiliser
* Future phosphorus cycle
Global Phosphorus Cycle

Future
Units: Megatonnes/year.
 The Future
• New management of STW as fertiliser
producers
• Could meet 40% UK fertiliser demand (if
recovery at all sites)- Similar in other
countries

• Local fertiliser production

• Slow release fertiliser

• Reduced dependence on “phosphate

giants”- China, Morocco, USA
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WWTP: Case study- Slough, UK

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Study site: WWTP, Slough (UK)
•Receives wastewater: PE ~240000
•Biological Nutrient Removal (BNR)
BNR system (Anaerobic-Anoxic-Aerobic)

EBPR
 Primary Secondary
Crude Final
settlement Anaerobic Anoxic Aerobic clarifier effluent
sewage
tank

Picket fence
thickener
SAS holding
tank

Imported Buffer SAS

sludge tank belts

Phosphorus
Fertiliser
recovery

Anaerobic Sludge
Centrifuge
Digesters cake
 Big challenge
• Fe salt is added for chemical P removal
• Chemically bound P is not available for
recovery as Struvite

• Solution: stop Fe salt addition and make EBPR

work….
Ostara Pearl Process for P recovery
EBPR
• Bio-P performance in a
lab-scale reactor
• Estimation of indicators:
Biological P-release and
uptake
Bio-P test procedure for P release and uptake
Field trials: initial findings
• Plant wide sampling and mass balance
• Control and variation of Fe-salt dose for
chemical P-removal
• Continuous BNR system sludge sampling for
Bio-P activity tests
• Fe-salt dose reduction and Bio-P activity test
to see biological process improvement
Specific P Release & Uptake
Conclusions
• Chemical P dosing is not necessary for aiding
the EBPR system in removing P from
wastewater.
• Fe-salt (e.g. FeCl3) use may have an adverse
effect on Bio-P activity performance.
• It would be interesting to study the effect of
chemical addition (for P precipitation) on the
PAOs and potentially other micro-organisms in
BNR processes.
 Acknowledgement
Funding agency and the industry partner