Otimização de processos de precipitação química na remoção de fósforo de esgotos sanitários mediante a utilização de sais de ferro como coagulante.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was the chemical precipitation optimization of phosphorus from domestic wastewater with a ferric salt as coagulant. The organic matter removal and the sludge production obtained were analyzed. The study was developed with effluents from two wastewater plants from SABESP, such as ETE Barueri – conventional activated sludge and ETE Ribeirao Pires – anaerobic treatment with UASB reactors. “Jar-Test” tests were done in laboratory and the coagulant used was the ferric chloride. The results show that the coagulant dosage, in both effluents studied, results in a total phosphorus removal to values lower than 1 mg/L. The necessary coagulant dosages were 80 mg/L to ETE Barueri and 60 mg/L to ETE Ribeirao Pires. The organic matter removal also was obtained and values of BOD lower than 10 mg/L are obtained to lower dosages than the necessary dosage to phosphorus removal. The necessary coagulant dosage to BOD removal to values lower than 10 mg/L was 40 mg/L. The sludge production is the main problem when chemical precipitation is used, the amount of sludge produced is significant and must be taken into consideration in the system project of treatment and final disposal. Increases in the sludge production were around 113% to ETE Barueri and 51% to ETE Ribeirao Pires when the necessary coagulants dosages were considered to total phosphorus removal to values lower than 1 mg/L.