| FeCl3was used to prepare hydrous iron oxide (HIO) as an absorbent for phosphate (P) sorption and desorption study. The results showed that as pH decreased, the sorption capacity of HIO increased, and the sorption kinetics followed the second-order model, and the sorption isotherm could be fitted by the Langmuir equation. A 50 g/L NaOH solution was used for desorption of P from HIO, and the desorption rate could be reached over 98%. No relation was found between desorption rate and adsorption capacity. Based on above results, HIO was applied to adsorption of P from supernatant of sludge thickener, and after desorption, more than 90% of P was recovered. According to the results obtained, an effective system for P removal and recovery from municipal wastewater was suggested, which includes the following processes: adsorption, desorption, regeneration of HIO, and of recovery of P from P-rich desorption solution. |
