Nutrient removal via adsorption to novel materials is gaining attention since phosphorus and nitrogen in wastewater can be removed and recovered as readily-usable fertilizer. This provides a sustainable treatment approach focused on the waste�to-resource paradigm. Unfortunately, micropollutants are present in wastewater, particularly in anaerobic effluents, and are unwanted in fertilizer products that stem from nutrient recovery. Previous studies have indicated that novel adsorbents such as biochar and ion exchange resins can sorb micropollutants. The use of ion exchange resins and biochar are proposed as novel adsorbents to remove nutrients and micropollutants from dilute wastewater streams, but the adsorption competition between nutrients and micropollutants remains unknown. The main objective of this work is to elucidate the fate of estrogenic compounds in ion exchange and biochar adsorption. Lab-scale batch tests were conducted to determine the removal capacity and removal mechanisms of nutrients (phosphate and ammonium) and estrogenic compounds (17beta-estradiol and nonylphenol) using ion exchange resins and biochars. Sorption of individual compounds and mixtures of compounds were tested. Water quality parameters including pH, ionic strength and natural organic matter were varied. Results indicate that ion exchange resins outperform biochar for sorption of nutrients and estrogens.

Fate of micropollutants during nutrient removal using novel adsorbents for dilute wastewater streams

248th National Meeting (2014)

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