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Phosphorus Recovery by Methods Beyond Struvite Precipitation
Author(s) -
Law Kam P.,
Pagilla Krishna R.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
water environment research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.356
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1554-7531
pISSN - 1061-4303
DOI - 10.2175/106143017x15131012188006
Subject(s) - struvite , phosphorus , fertilizer , environmental science , phosphate , eutrophication , phosphorite , waste management , pulp and paper industry , environmental engineering , chemistry , wastewater , nutrient , engineering , organic chemistry
Unintentional phosphate precipitation at water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) causes operation and maintenance challenges. With global phosphorus (P) scarcity looming and receiving water eutrophication caused by excess discharges of P, intentional P recovery at WRRFs has been gaining traction. To date, struvite recovery as slow release fertilizer has been the focus of P recovery. However, struvite recovery is not always the most cost‐effective approach, especially when phosphate fertilizers cost considerably less than the cost to recover struvite as fertilizer. The aim of this state‐of‐an‐art review paper is to discuss P recovery as calcium phosphate, which could be a fertilizer feedstock and incurs less chemical costs to produce. Calcium phosphate also offers broader applications for other industrial uses beyond fertilizers since the composition is close to mined phosphate rock. A strategic approach for a regional reclaimed phosphate reserve is proposed to secure the most economical future supply of P.