Phosphorus removal from aqueous solutions using a synthesized adsorbent prepared from mineralized refuse and sewage sludge

• Published in: Environmental technology Vol. 34; no. 11; pp. 1489 - 1496
• Main Authors: Chen, Kaining, Zhao, Keqiang, Zhang, Houhu, Sun, Qinfang, Wu, Zhilin, Zhou, Yongmin, Zhong, Yongchao, Ke, Fan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Taylor & Francis 01.06.2013; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Adsorbents; Adsorption; aluminum; Applied sciences; Aqueous solutions; Biodegradation, Environmental; calcium; cost effectiveness; desorbability; environmental technology; Exact sciences and technology; General purification processes; General treatment and storage processes; heavy metals; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; isotherm equations; landfills; Mathematical models; mineralization; mineralized refuse; Other industrial wastes. Sewage sludge; Oxides - chemistry; Phosphorus; Phosphorus - chemistry; Phosphorus - isolation & purification; Phosphorus removal; Pollution; Refuse; Sewage - chemistry; Sewage disposal; Sewage sludge; sewage treatment; Sewerage works: sewers, sewage treatment plants, outfalls; Sludge; solid wastes; sorption isotherms; synthesized adsorbent; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Wastes; Wastewaters; Water Pollutants, Chemical - isolation & purification; Water treatment and pollution; Zeolites; Zeolites - chemistry; British Isles; synthesized adsorbent; Waste dumping; Adsorption capacity; Immobilization; Metal ion; Phosphorus; desorbability; Zeolite; Sewage sludge; Modeling; Sewage treatment plant; mineralized refuse; Heavy metal; isotherm equations; Adsorption; Solid waste; pH; Aqueous solution; Leachate
• ISSN: 1479-487X; 0959-3330; 1479-487X
• DOI: 10.1080/09593330.2012.758659

Mineralized refuse and sewage sludge generated from solid waste from municipal landfills and sewage treatment plants were sintered as a cost-effective adsorbent for the removal of phosphorus. Compared with the Freundlich model, phosphorus adsorption on the synthesized adsorbent, zeolite and ironstone was best described by the Langmuir model. Based on the Langmuir model, the maximum adsorption capacity of the synthesized adsorbent (9718 mg kg⁻¹) was 13.7 and 25.4 times greater than those of zeolite and ironstone, respectively. The desorbability of phosphorus from the synthesized adsorbent was significantly lower than that of zeolite. Moreover, phosphorus removal using the synthesized adsorbent was more tolerant to pH fluctuations than zeolite and ironstone for the removal of phosphorus from aqueous solutions. The immobilization of phosphorus onto the synthesized adsorbent was attributed to the formation of insoluble calcium, aluminium and iron phosphorus. The heavy metal ion concentrations of the leachate of the synthesized adsorbent were negligible. The synthesized adsorbent prepared from mineralized refuse and sewage sludge was cost-effective and possessed a high adsorptive capacity for phosphorus removal from aqueous solutions.