Modified rare earth waste composite material for simultaneous denitrification and recovery of phosphate in water

Abstract

Nitrogen and phosphorus discharged into water bodies with sewage are the main causes of water eutrophication.Currently,the adsorption method is a cost-effective and efficient denitrification and phosphorus removal technology. In this study, waste polishing powder, manganese dioxide and sepiolite are used as raw materials, and a novel adsorbent of Sep-pp-MnO2 is prepared through co-precipitation and redox methods for simultaneous removal of ammonia nitrogen and recovery of phosphate in water.The physicochemical properties of the adsorbent are characterised, and the adsorption performances and denitrification and phosphorus removal mechanisms are determined. Results showed that,at a temperature of 25°C and pH of 8, the maximum removal of ammonia nitrogen reaches 11.47 mg/g, while the adsorption capacity for phosphates is 14.93 mg/g. Adsorption mechanisms indicated that the removal mechanism of phosphate is ligand exchange, while the removal mechanism of ammonia nitrogen involves electrostatic attraction and oxidation to nitrogen. Recycling experiments showed that after five desorption cycles, the material could achieve a removal of 4.7 mg/g for ammonia nitrogen, an adsorption capacity of 8.25 mg/g for phosphate and a phosphate recovery rate of 55 % after desorption with 0.1 M NaOH solution. Municipal wastewater validation experiments demonstrated that when the dosage of Sep-pp-MnO2 was 4 g/L,Treated water met the Class B requirements of the comprehensive emission standard for pollutants from urban sewage treatment plants in China (GB18918–2002). This study explores a new method for efficient simultaneous nitrogen and phosphorus removal in water and provides a feasible idea for alleviating the shortage of phosphate rock resources.