Evaluating the integration of nanofiltration membranes in advanced water reclamation schemes using synthetic solutions: From phosphorous removal to phosphorous circularity

The more stringent regulations related to the reduction of residual phosphorous concentration in treated wastewater and the consideration of phosphorous as a critical raw material are boosting new technologies towards its recovery from waste effluents. The concentration of phosphate in these effluen...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: López Rodríguez, Julio|||0000-0001-6739-7960, Reig i Amat, Mònica|||0000-0003-0225-2466, Licon Bernal, Edxon Eduardo, Valderrama Ángel, César Alberto|||0000-0001-6711-8183, Gibert Agulló, Oriol|||0000-0002-7313-5147, Cortina Pallás, José Luis|||0000-0002-3719-5118
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2022
País:España
Institución:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repositorio:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/372942
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/372942
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seppur.2022.120914
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Nanofiltration
Sewage
Water -- Phosphorus content
Phosphate recovery
Wastewater
WWTP secondary effluents
Nanofiltració
Aigües residuals
Aigua -- Contingut en fòsfor
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria química
Descripción
Sumario:The more stringent regulations related to the reduction of residual phosphorous concentration in treated wastewater and the consideration of phosphorous as a critical raw material are boosting new technologies towards its recovery from waste effluents. The concentration of phosphate in these effluents can be easily increased using nanofiltration (NF) due to its high phosphate rejections (>99%) in order to recover it as a raw material for the fertilizer industry. In this work, different model solutions were used to characterise the transport of phosphate species across a semi-aromatic polyamide membrane (NF270) using the Solution-Electro-Diffusion-Film coupled with reactive transport (SEDFRT) model. Experiments were carried out with waters containing one dominant salt (NaCl or Na2SO4) and one trace salt (dihydrogen or hydrogen phosphate salts) to easily determine membrane permeances to species without simulating the complexity of real solutions. Besides, for the first time the transport of H+ and OH– was also modelled. Results showed a high performance of NF270 when separating phosphate (rejections higher than 90%). Finally, the obtained permeances were used to evaluate the recovery capacity of phosphate as struvite from a model secondary treatment effluent through the SEDFRT model. Results demonstrate the potential of NF as a step forward towards closing the urban phosphorus cycle.