Phosphate recovery from treated municipal wastewater using hybrid anion exchangers containing hydrated ferric oxide nanoparticles

BACKDROUND This study presents the evaluation of two ion exchangers (granular and fibrous) impregnated with nanoparticles of hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) as selective sorbents for phosphate recovery from aqueous solutions. The hybrid impregnated anion exchangers combine the durability and mechanical...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: You Chen, Xialei|||0000-0001-5762-2335, Valderrama Ángel, César Alberto|||0000-0001-6711-8183, Soldatov, V., Cortina Pallás, José Luis|||0000-0002-3719-5118
Format: article
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC)
Repository:UPCommons. Portal del coneixement obert de la UPC
Language:English
OAI Identifier:oai:upcommons.upc.edu:2117/112702
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2117/112702
https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jctb.5361
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Oxides
Phosphates
Sewage--Purification--Phosphate removal
Òxids
Fosfats
Aigües residuals -- Depuració
Àrees temàtiques de la UPC::Enginyeria química
Description
Summary:BACKDROUND This study presents the evaluation of two ion exchangers (granular and fibrous) impregnated with nanoparticles of hydrated ferric oxide (HFO) as selective sorbents for phosphate recovery from aqueous solutions. The hybrid impregnated anion exchangers combine the durability and mechanical strength of a polymeric weak base anion exchange resin with the high sorption affinity of HFO towards phosphate species. Dynamic experiments were carried out and data obtained were fitted to a well-known fixed-bed sorption model. RESULTS The theoretical sorption capacities reported by the Thomas model were in good agreement with the breakthrough experimental capacities determined from the sorption data. The sorption capacity decreased when using wastewater treatment plant secondary effluents in comparison with synthetic water mainly owing to the presence of organic matter and suspended solids. The phosphate sorbed on the impregnated ion exchangers was efficiently desorbed by using a 0.5 mol L-1 sodium hydroxide solution, reporting up to 90% of recovery. CONCLUSION The reusability of sorbents was evaluated through five sorption–desorption working cycles. Fiban-As was able to operate up to three consecutive cycles with good sorption performance while a significant decrease of sorption capacity after the first cycle was observed for FO36 resin. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry