Phosphorus Removal Rate and Efficiency in an Electrochemical Sequencing Reactor for the Treatment of Wastewater with Low Organic Carbon Content

Artur Mielcarek (), Kamil Łukasz Bryszewski, Joanna Rodziewicz, Karolina Kłobukowska and Wojciech Janczukowicz
Additional contact information
Artur Mielcarek: Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska St. 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Kamil Łukasz Bryszewski: Hanna Instruments Sp. z.o.o., Al. J. Piłsudskiego St. 73, 10-449 Olsztyn, Poland
Joanna Rodziewicz: Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska St. 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Karolina Kłobukowska: Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska St. 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
Wojciech Janczukowicz: Faculty of Geoengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Warszawska St. 117a, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: Energy is essential for the operation of wastewater treatment systems. Simultaneously, it can be a factor facilitating the electrochemical purification processes. Previous studies have shown that under specific conditions, there is no technological justification for using bio-electrochemical reactors designed for the simultaneous removal of both phosphorus and nitrogen compounds. This is because similar dephosphatation process effects can be achieved in an electrochemical reactor. Additionally, in a bio-electrochemical reactor, a portion of the organic substrate introduced for biological treatment is lost due to the electrocoagulation process. The aim of the research was to determine the influence of low direct current densities (0.4–2.0 A/m 2 ) on the rate and efficiency of phosphorus and other compound removal in a sequencing electrochemical reactor treating real wastewater from a greenhouse with low organic compound content. In the conducted studies, an increase in electric current density resulted in an increase in the removal rates of phosphorus from 26.45 to 34.79 mg/L·h, nitrogen from 2.07 to 6.58 mg/L·h, and organic compounds from 0.44 to 1.50 mg/L·h. This corresponded to maximum removal efficiencies of 88.6 ± 2.5% for phosphorus, 7.4 ± 2.5% for nitrogen, and 51.1 ± 8.3% for organic compounds. As a result of electrocoagulation, sludge rich in phosphorus was obtained, ranging from 347 ± 38 mg/L (18.1% P) to 665 ± 36 mg/L (11.7% P). The obtained results can be utilized in the future for the development of two-stage systems for wastewater treatment with a low content of organic compounds, aiming at the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen.

Keywords: electrocoagulation; phosphorus recovery; iron electrode; electrocoagulation kinetics; soilless cultivation; quality of electrocoagulation sludge (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/6/1352/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/17/6/1352/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:17:y:2024:i:6:p:1352-:d:1355385

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().