Recovery of phosphorus from industrial wastewater with high phosphorus load

Abstract

Phosphorus pollution from industrial wastewater represents a critical environmental challenge and an opportunity for resource recovery. This study explores the potential for recovering phosphorus from industrial wastewater generated by toothpaste manufacturing, focusing on its extraction in the form of amorphous calcium phosphate and vivianite. Employing small-scale and model-scale experiments, the research optimizes chemical dosages and operating conditions for efficient phosphorus removal and recovery. A 24.5 g/L dose of Ca(OH)2 achieved >99% phosphorus removal by forming amorphous calcium phosphate, while a 45 g/L dose of FeSO4·7H2O combined with NaOH dosing facilitated vivianite precipitation with comparable efficiency. Despite higher costs, vivianite recovery offers superior economic potential due to its high market value. The findings demonstrate scalable methods for sustainable phosphorus management and resource recovery in industrial settings.