1
|
Śniatała B, Al-Hazmi HE, Sobotka D, Zhai J, Mąkinia J. Advancing sustainable wastewater management: A comprehensive review of nutrient recovery products and their applications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 937:173446. [PMID: 38788940 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater serves as a vital resource for sustainable fertilizer production, particularly in the recovery of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). This comprehensive study explores the recovery chain, from technology to final product reuse. Biomass growth is the most cost-effective method, valorizing up to 95 % of nutrients, although facing safety concerns. Various techniques enable the recovery of 100 % P and up to 99 % N, but challenges arise during the final product crystallization due to the high solubility of ammonium salts. Among these techniques, chemical precipitation and ammonia stripping/ absorption have achieved full commercialization, with estimated recovery costs of 6.0-10.0 EUR kgP-1 and 4.4-4.8 £ kgN-1, respectively. Multiple technologies integrating biomass thermo-chemical processing and P and/or N have also reached technology readiness level TRL = 9. However, due to maturing regulatory of waste-derived products, not all of their products are commercially available. The non-homogenous nature of wastewater introduces impurities into nutrient recovery products. While calcium and iron impurities may impact product bioavailability, some full-scale P recovery technologies deliver products containing this admixture. Recovered mineral nutrient forms have shown up to 60 % higher yield biomass growth compared to synthetic fertilizers. Life cycle assessment studies confirm the positive environmental outcomes of nutrient recycling from wastewater to agricultural applications. Integration of novel technologies may increase wastewater treatment costs by a few percent, but this can be offset through renewable energy utilization and the sale of recovered products. Moreover, simultaneous nutrient recovery and energy production via bio-electrochemical processes contributes to carbon neutrality achieving. Interdisciplinary cooperation is essential to offset both energy and chemicals inputs, increase their cos-efficiency and optimize technologies and understand the nutrient release patterns of wastewater-derived products on various crops. Addressing non-technological factors, such as legal and financial support, infrastructure redesign, and market-readiness, is crucial for successfully implementation and securing the global food production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bogna Śniatała
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Hussein E Al-Hazmi
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Dominika Sobotka
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jun Zhai
- Institute for Smart City of Chongqing University in Liyang, Chongqing University, Jiangsu 213300, China
| | - Jacek Mąkinia
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, Gdańsk, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Mondal H, Datta B. Banana Peel Derived Chitosan-Grafted Biocomposite for Recovery of NH 4+ and PO 43. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:43674-43689. [PMID: 38027321 PMCID: PMC10666154 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Biomass-derived adsorbents afford accessible and inexpensive harvesting of nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater sources. Human urine is widely accepted as a rich source of nitrogen and phosphorus. However, direct use of urine in agriculture is untenable because of its unpleasant smell, pathogen contamination, and pharmaceutical residues. In this work, we have grafted chitosan onto dried and crushed banana peel (DCBP) to generate the biocomposite DCBP/Ch. A combination of FTIR, TGA, XRD, FESEM, EDX, and NMR analyses were used to characterize DCBP/Ch and reveal condensation-aided covalent conjugation between O-H functionalities of DCBP and chitosan. The adsorption performance of DCBP/Ch toward NH4+ and PO43- is in sync with its attractive surface porosity, elevated crystallinity, and thermostability. The maximum adsorption capacity of DCBP/Ch toward NH4+/PO43- was estimated as 42.16/15.91 mg g-1 at an operating pH of 7/4, respectively, and ranks highly when compared to previously reported bioadsorbents. DCBP/Ch performs admirably when tested on artificial urine. While nitrogen and phosphorus harvesting from human urine using single techniques has been reported previously, this is the first report of a single adsorbent for recovery of NH4+ and PO43-. The environmental compatibility, ease of preparation, and economic viability of DCBP/Ch present it as an attractive candidate for deployment in waste channels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Himarati Mondal
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382055, Gujarat, India
| | - Bhaskar Datta
- Department
of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology
Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382055, Gujarat, India
- Department
of Biological Engineering, Indian Institute
of Technology Gandhinagar, Palaj, Gandhinagar 382055, Gujarat, India
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Marzi M, Kazemian H, Bradshaw C. Study on phosphate removal from aqueous solutions using magnesium-ammonium- and zirconium-modified zeolites: equilibrium, kinetic, and fixed-bed column study. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:826. [PMID: 37294457 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11423-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Eutrophication is an environmental issue which occurs when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients. Phosphorus (P) is a key nutrient limiting the phytoplankton and algal growth in many aquatic environments. Therefore, P removal could be a promising technique to control the eutrophication. Herein, a natural zeolite (NZ) was modified by two practical techniques, including zirconium (ZrMZ) and magnesium-ammonium modification (MNZ), and employed for phosphate removal. Batch, equilibrium, and column experiments were conducted to determine various adsorption parameters. Equilibrium data were fitted to two different isotherms and Freundlich isotherm provided the best fit which confirms multi-layer adsorption of phosphate ions on the adsorbents. The kinetic experiments demonstrated that the adsorption process is fast with more than 80% of phosphate adsorbed in the first 4 h, and a subsequent equilibrium was established after 16 h. The kinetic data were well described by pseudo-second-order model, suggesting that chemisorption is the mechanism of sorption. Intraparticle diffusion showed a rate-limiting step for phosphate adsorption on all the adsorbents, especially MNZ and ZrMZ. The fixed-bed column study showed that the phosphate concentration in the outlet (C) of ZrMZ column did not reach the initial concentration (C0) after passing 250 bed volume (BV), while it reached C0 after 100 BV when the MNZ was employed. Given the considerable improvement were seen, the results of this study suggest that surface of zeolite can be modified with zirconium (and in a less extent magnesium-ammonium) to enhance adsorption of phosphate from many eutrophic lakes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Marzi
- Soil and Water Research Institute (SWRI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hossein Kazemian
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada.
- Northern Analytical Laboratory Services (NALS), Northern BC's Environment and Climate Solutions Innovation Hub, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Prince George, BC, Canada.
| | - Charles Bradshaw
- Northern Analytical Laboratory Services (NALS), Northern BC's Environment and Climate Solutions Innovation Hub, University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), Prince George, BC, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wu H, Foster X, Kazemian H, Vaneeckhaute C. N, P, K recovery from hydrolysed urine by Na-chabazite adsorption integrated with ammonia stripping and (K-)struvite precipitation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 857:159277. [PMID: 36216069 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study investigated the recovery of K+ along with NH4+-N and PO43--P from hydrolyzed urine by technical integration. The K adsorption capacities of biochar, clinoptilolite, artificial zeolite and chabazite were firstly compared. Due to the high K recovery efficiency and additional P recovery capacity, Na-chabazite was selected as the adsorbent in this study. Its kinetics and isotherm analysis indicated that the high molarity of NH4+-N seriously hindered the K adsorption onto Na-chabazite in synthetic hydrolyzed urine (SHU). However, this competition between NH4+ and K+ got diminished when their molarity is the same, i.e. in the SHU after ammonia stripping (ASSHU). Based on this key finding, Na-chabazite adsorption was integrated with ammonia stripping and struvite precipitation under different configurations. Simultaneous ammonia stripping was inadequate to diminish the competitive effect of NH4+ on K+ adsorption. Depending on the demand for fertilizer, two sequential configurations were recommended, respectively.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Wu
- BioEngine, Research Team on Green Process Engineering and Biorefineries, Chemical Engineering Department, Université Laval, 1065, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; CentrEau, Centre de recherche sur l'eau, Université Laval, 1065, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Xavier Foster
- BioEngine, Research Team on Green Process Engineering and Biorefineries, Chemical Engineering Department, Université Laval, 1065, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; CentrEau, Centre de recherche sur l'eau, Université Laval, 1065, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Hossein Kazemian
- Northern Analytical Lab Services, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada; Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada.
| | - Céline Vaneeckhaute
- BioEngine, Research Team on Green Process Engineering and Biorefineries, Chemical Engineering Department, Université Laval, 1065, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada; CentrEau, Centre de recherche sur l'eau, Université Laval, 1065, avenue de la Médecine, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sniatala B, Kurniawan TA, Sobotka D, Makinia J, Othman MHD. Macro-nutrients recovery from liquid waste as a sustainable resource for production of recovered mineral fertilizer: Uncovering alternative options to sustain global food security cost-effectively. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159283. [PMID: 36208738 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Global food security, which has emerged as one of the sustainability challenges, impacts every country. As food cannot be generated without involving nutrients, research has intensified recently to recover unused nutrients from waste streams. As a finite resource, phosphorus (P) is largely wasted. This work critically reviews the technical applicability of various water technologies to recover macro-nutrients such as P, N, and K from wastewater. Struvite precipitation, adsorption, ion exchange, and membrane filtration are applied for nutrient recovery. Technological strengths and drawbacks in their applications are evaluated and compared. Their operational conditions such as pH, dose required, initial nutrient concentration, and treatment performance are presented. Cost-effectiveness of the technologies for P or N recovery is also elaborated. It is evident from a literature survey of 310 published studies (1985-2022) that no single technique can effectively and universally recover target macro-nutrients from liquid waste. Struvite precipitation is commonly used to recover over 95 % of P from sludge digestate with its concentration ranging from 200 to 4000 mg/L. The recovered precipitate can be reused as a fertilizer due to its high content of P and N. Phosphate removal of higher than 80 % can be achieved by struvite precipitation when the molar ratio of Mg2+/PO43- ranges between 1.1 and 1.3. The applications of artificial intelligence (AI) to collect data on critical parameters control optimization, improve treatment effectiveness, and facilitate water utilities to upscale water treatment plants. Such infrastructure in the plants could enable the recovered materials to be reused to sustain food security. As nutrient recovery is crucial in wastewater treatment, water treatment plant operators need to consider (1) the costs of nutrient recovery techniques; (2) their applicability; (3) their benefits and implications. It is essential to note that the treatment cost of P and/or N-laden wastewater depends on the process applied and local conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bogna Sniatala
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tonni Agustiono Kurniawan
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia.
| | - Dominika Sobotka
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jacek Makinia
- Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), Faculty of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hydrochloric Acid Modification and Lead Removal Studies on Naturally Occurring Zeolites from Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona. Processes (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/pr9071238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Four naturally occurring zeolites were examined to verify their assignments as chabazites AZLB-Ca and AZLB-Na (Bowie, Arizona) and clinoptilolites NM-Ca (Winston, New Mexico) and NV-Na (Ash Meadows, Nevada). Based on powder X-ray diffraction, NM-Ca was discovered to be mostly quartz with some clinoptilolite residues. Treatment with concentrated HCl (12.1 M) acid resulted in AZLB-Ca and AZLB-Na, the chabazite-like species, becoming amorphous, as confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction. In contrast, NM-Ca and NV-Na, which are clinoptilolite-like species, withstood boiling in concentrated HCl acid. This treatment removes calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, aluminum, and iron atoms or ions from the framework while leaving the silicon framework intact as confirmed via X-ray fluorescence and diffraction. SEM images on calcined and HCl treated NV-Na were obtained. BET surface area analysis confirmed an increase in surface area for the two zeolites after treatment, NM-Ca 20.0(1) to 111(4) m2/g and NV-Na 19.0(4) to 158(7) m2/g. 29Si and 27Al MAS NMR were performed on the natural and treated NV-Na zeolite, and the data for the natural NV-Na zeolite suggested a Si:Al ratio of 4.33 similar to that determined by X-ray fluorescence of 4.55. Removal of lead ions from solution decreased from the native NM-Ca, 0.27(14), NV-Na, 1.50(17) meq/g compared to the modified zeolites, 30 min HCl treated NM-Ca 0.06(9) and NV-Na, 0.41(23) meq/g, and also decreased upon K+ ion pretreatment in the HCl modified zeolites.
Collapse
|