Removal of phosphorus using AMD-treated lignocellulosic material

Abstract

Excess nutrients, including phosphorus, can cause eutrophication in surface water and reservoirs. We tested the phosphate removal capacity of juniper fiber through isotherm, kinetic, column, and field tests. Heavy metals from an acid mine drainage (AMD) site were precipitated on the surface ofjuniper fiber. The modified fiber was tested in laboratory- caled batch and column tests. Elemental analysis showed that soluble iron species deposited on the modified fiber acted as an inorganic adsorbent for anions; sorption capacity of this juniper fiber was higher than that of other conventional adsorbents. A pseudo second-order kinetic model fitted well for sorption of phosphorus onto the modified medium. The modified lignocellulosic material was used to remove phosphorus from wastewater from two dairy farms in the Catskill/Delaware watershed. The fiber was installed inside a filter box, forming a nonwoven mat. Phosphorus removal efficiency of the material was about 41 percent at 59 mg/L of influent phosphorus concentration.

Citation

Han, James S.; Min, Soo-Hong; Kim, Yeong-Kwan. 2005. Removal of phosphorus using AMD-treated lignocellulosic material. Forest products journal. Vol. 55, no. 11 (Nov. 2005): pages 48-53.