Efficiency of iron-containing filter filters in the removal of soluble phosphorus

Abstract

The aim of this work is to test the effectiveness of iron-containing materials in sorbing soluble phosphorus from real, biologically treated wastewater. Three materials containing iron were chosen for the research: sorbents GEH®102, SBGx and steel chips, which were placed in 3 columns of the experimental bench. Filtration took place at a speed of 0.74 m/h from top to bottom, the sorbent fillers were covered all the time, and a 25 cm high liquid layer was maintained above the fillers. The GEH®102 adsorbent for drinking water treatment has been shown to be effective (up to 98% efficiency) in removing PO4-P from biologically treated wastewater with low suspended solids concentrations (<2 mg/l). Powdered adsorbent SBGx was mixed with sand, its efficiency for PO4-P removal from wastewater ranged from 3 to 41%. Steel chip filler proved to be suitable for PO4-P removal from domestic wastewater, with 91–94% efficiency. Steel shavings are a waste whose secondary use for wastewater treatment would be beneficial in the context of environmental sustainability, and more research is recommended in this area.