PHOSPHATE REMOVAL FROM AQUEOUS SOLUTION

USING FLY ASH,BLAST FURNACE SLAG AND ELECTRO

COAGULATION
Introduction
 Present in low concentration.

 Essential for the growth of Micro organisms.

 Excess amount causes Eutrophication.

 Harmful to aquatic life.

 Depletion of dissolved oxygen.

Conventional methods

 Chemical treatment method

 Reaction between aluminium and phosphate

 Reaction between calcium and phosphate

 Reaction between iron and phosphate

 Biological treatment method

Case Studies

1) Lu S.G, et. al (2008)

3) Ensar Oguz (2004)

5) Nihal Bekthas et. al (2003)

Removal of phosphate from Aqueous
solution using fly ash
(source: Lu S.G, et .al 2008)
Materials and method

High ,medium and low Calcium content.

Coded as FA1,FA2,FA3.

The pH is determined using pH meter.

Particle size distribution is calculated by using

sieving and laser beam technique.
Chemical composition of fly ash
(Source Lu. S,G. et. al ,2008)

Parameter FA 1 FA 2 FA 3
pH 10.9 10.9 12.1
SiO2(%) 49.51 47.23 43.06
Electric conductivity 1.14 1.06 5.64
Al2O3(%) 31.12 34.23 28
Fe2O3(%) 5.36 6.32 8.63
Ca O(%) 5.44 5.54 10.82
Density(gm/cm3) 1.93 2.20 2.29
Scanning electron microscopy of FA1
(Source Lu. S,G .et. al ,2008)
Scanning electron microscopy of FA2
(Source Lu. S,G. et. al ,2008)
Scanning electron microscopy of FA3
(Source Lu. S,G. et. al ,2008)
Batch adsorption experiment
 0.5gm of fly ashes and acid treated fly ashes were
weighed and equilibrated in 50ml centrifuge tubes
containing 25ml of 100mg/l phosphate solution at
room temperature.

 The tubes were stopped and continuously shaken at a

spinning speed of 120 cycles /min .

 The shaking was interrupted momentarily at

predetermined time interval for the tube to be
removed.

 The suspension was filtered to determine the

concentration of phosphate
Results and Discussion
Mechanism of Phosphate removal

 Adsorption and Precipitation.

 High pH and calcium concentration are required.

 Major form of precipitation is hydroxy apetite.

Variation of pH with phosphate added
(Source Lu. S,G. et. al ,2008)
Variation of Calcium concentration with
phosphate added (Source Lu. S,G et. al ,2008)
Phosphorus adsorption kinetics
Freundlich model, q = k C1/n (5)

Langmuir model, C/q = C /Q m+1/ bQm (6)

Where C= Phosphate concentration in equilibrium (mg/l)

Q= Amount of phosphate adsorbed/unit of sorbent
Qm = Langmuir sorption maximum
k, n = constants related to adsorption capacity
b = constants related to binding strength of phosphate
Characteristic parameters and determination
of coefficients of the experimental data
according to Freundlich and Langmuir
equations
Adsorbent Freundlich equation Langmuir equation
1/n k R2 Qm b R2

FA1 0.483 6.17 0.974 90.09 0.040 0.775

FA2 0.450 8.96 0.967 90.91 0.078 0.877

FA3 0.584 13.47 0.962 107.53 0.207 0.941

Variation of pH with time for FA1
(Source Lu. S,G. et. al ,2008)
Variation of pH with time for FA2
(Source Lu. S,G .et. al ,2008)
Variation of pH with time for FA3
(Source Lu. S,G. et. al ,2008)
Variation of Percentage of Removal
with Time (Source Lu. S,G et. al ,2008)
Removal of Phosphate From Aqueous
Solution Using Blast Furnace Slag
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Materials and Methods

 Iskenderun blast furnace slag is used.

 Adsorption studies are carried at phosphate

concentrations of 180 ppm.

 Minimum equilibrium time of removal is 20 min.

(contd…)

 Experiments were carried out at different temperature

and pressure.

 Phosphate is measured using calorimetric method.

 Precipitated as phosphates of aluminium, calcium

and iron.
Chemical composition of Iskenderun blast
furnace slag (Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)

Parameter Component (%)

SiO2 39.56
Fe2O3 0.33
Al2O3 10.82
CaO 37.68
MgO 6.79
SO3 0.33
Chloride 0.125
undetermined 3.99
Results and Discussion
Variation of phosphate concentration and
phosphate dose per kg blast furnace slag
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Relation between Phosphate concentration
and Phosphate dose absorbed per kg blast
furnace slag
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Effect of agitation rate on adsorption
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Effect of temperature on adsorption
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Effect of pH on adsorption
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
 Nature of Slag

 Before and after X-Ray Diffraction

 Before and after Scanning Electron Microscopy

Scanning electron microscopy of blast
furnace slag before adsorption
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Scanning electron microscopy of blast
furnace slag after adsorption
(Source Ensar Oguz ,2004)
Removal of Phosphate from Aqueous
Solution using Electro Coagulation
(Source Nihal Bekthas et. al ,2003)
Materials and Methods

 Phosphate removal using electrochemical reactor

 No other chemicals are used.

 Precipitated as phosphates of aluminium.

Electrochemical Reactor
(Source Nihal Bekthas et. al ,2003)
Results and Discussion
Variation of Phosphate removal with
initial pH
(Source Nihal Bekthas et. al ,2003)
Variation of Phosphate removal with time
and initial concentration
(Source Nihal Bekthas et. al ,2003)
Variation of charge loading with time and
initial concentration
(Source Nihal Bekthas et. al ,2003)
Variation of percentage of phosphate removal
with current density and initial concentration
(Source Nihal Bekthas et. al ,2003)
Comparison
Parameters Phosphate removal Phosphate removal Phosphate removal
using fly ash using blast furnace using electro
slag coagulation
pH High (9.4-11.6) Low(3-4.5) Medium(6-6.9)
Adsorption isotherm Freundlich isotherm Freundlich isotherm Not mentioned

Time for maximum Within 5minutes Within 60 minutes Depends upon

removal (95.6%) (99%) concentration and
current density
Grain size of adsorbent Small (>150micro Large Not mentioned
meter) (0.020.03mm)

Form of precipitate Phosphates of Phosphates of Phosphates of

calcium aluminium, calcium aluminium
and iron

Removal efficiency 95.6% 99% Depends upon time,

(within 5 minutes) (within60 minutes) concentration and
current density)

Temp Not mentioned Different 21-22 degree

temperature(25-65) celcious
Conclusion
Using fly ash maximum removal efficiency obtained within 5
minutes. Removal of phosphate occurs mainly by the
formation of calcium phosphate.

Removal efficiency depends upon the calcium ion

concentration in the fly ash. Availability of fly ash makes this
method more economic.

Availability and low cost are the main advantages by using

blast furnace slag. In the method of blast furnace, slag removal
efficiency increases with temperature, time and concentration
 (contd….)

Maximum efficiency occurs within 60 minute, it is a main

drawback compared to other methods

In electro coagulation removal is carried out by using electro

chemical reactor. Phosphate is removed as precipitates of
aluminum

As the three methods of phosphate removal have some

limitations, fly ash could be a promising solution to the
removal of phosphate in the wastewater treatment and
pollution control.