Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Phosphate Removal And Recovery From Wastewater By Natural Materials For Ecologically Engineered Wastewater Treatment Systems, Daniel Thomas Curran

Graduate College Dissertations and Theses

Eutrophication due to excess loading of phosphorus (P) is a leading cause of water quality degradation within the United States. The aim of this study was to investigate P removal and recovery with 12 materials (four calcite varieties, wollastonite, dolomite, hydroxylapatite, eggshells, coral sands, biochar, and activated carbon. This was accomplished through a series of batch experiments with synthetic wastewater solutions ranging from 10-100 mg PO₄-P/ L. The results of this study were used to establish large-scale, calcite-based column filter experiments located in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources' Eco-Machine. Influent and effluent wastewater samples were routinely collected …