A Review on Removal Methods of Phosphate from Different

Wastewater Sources
Sunil.K 1, K.Pradgna2, Dr. Meena Vangalapati 3*
1

M.Tech, Department of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530003, Andhra

Pradesh, India.
Email: sunil_kanamarlapudi@yahoo.com

M.Tech, Department of Chemical Engineering, Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530003, Andhra

Pradesh, India.
Email: pradgnakasi@gmail.com
3

Associate Professor, Centre for Biotechnology, Department of Chemical Engineering,

Andhra University, Visakhapatnam-530003, Andhra Pradesh, India.
Email: meena_sekhar09@yahoo.co.in

Abatract
Phosphate as an inorganic chemical is a salt of phosphoric acid. They are naturally
occurring form of the element phosphorus, found in many phosphate minerals. Phosphate
removal from different effluents by using various methods like chemical precipitation,
coagulation, electro coagulation method, electro-dialysis method, electro dialysis method,
adsorption and biological treatment methods. Mostly the removal efficiency of phosphate is
obtained from chemical precipitation, adsorption and coagulation methods. High phosphate
concentration leads to eutrophication and also health problems such as kidney damage,
osteoporosis and hyperphosphatemia. Therefore it is necessary to remove phosphate to minimize
the health and environmental effects.

Key words: Phosphate, Effluent, Chemical precipitation, Adsorption, Batch reactor

Introduction
Phosphorus removal from industrial effluent can be achieved either through Chemical
precipitation, Coagulation, Electro coagulation, Electro dialysis, Adsorption, Biological
treatment and membrane separation. Water bodies contain certain level of phosphorus in various
compounds, which is an important constituent of living organisms. In natural conditions the
phosphate concentration in water is balanced i.e. accessible mass of this constituent is close to
the requirements of the ecological system. When the input of phosphorous through industrial
effluent to waters increases the concentration of phosphate, which leads to the extensive algae
growth, these organisms use great amounts of oxygen and prevent sunlight from entering the
water. This makes the water fairly unlivable for other organisms. This phenomenon is commonly
known as eutrophication. The algae die and decompose high level of organic matter. As a result
the water bodies and fish die due the depletion of available oxygen in water. Eutrophication is
also natural process that typically occurs as lakes age. However, human-caused, accelerated
eutrophication (called "cultural eutrophication") occurs more rapidly, and causes problems in the
affected water bodies, as described below. It is estimated that 50-70% of all nutrients reaching
surface water (principally N and P) originate on agricultural land as fertilizers or animal waste.
Urban and industrial runoff also contributes to eutrophication. Industrial effluent discharges
mostly contribute to eutrophication. Too much phosphate can cause health problems, such as
kidney damage, osteoporosis and hyperphosphatemia. phosphate should be removed from the
effluent according to the standards .
Chemical Properties
Phosphate (PO43) as an inorganic chemical is a salt of phosphoric acid. The phosphate
ion is a polyatomic ion with the empirical formula PO43and a molar mass of 94.97 g/mol. It
consists

of

one

central phosphorus

atom

surrounded

by

four oxygen atoms

in

a tetrahedral arrangement. The phosphate ion carries a negative three formal charge. A phosphate
salt forms when a positively charged ion attaches to the negatively charged oxygen atoms of the
ion, forming an ionic compound. Many phosphates are not soluble in water at standard

temperature and pressure. The sodium, potassium, rubidium, caesium and ammonium phosphates
are all water soluble. Most other phosphates are only slightly soluble or are insoluble in water. As
a rule, the hydrogen and dihydrogen phosphates are slightly more soluble than the corresponding
phosphates. The pyrophosphates are mostly water soluble.
Occurrence:
Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus, found in many
phosphate minerals. In mineralogy and geology, phosphate refers to a rock or ore containing
phosphate ions. Inorganic phosphates are mined to obtain phosphorus for use in agriculture and
industry.
Chemicals used in different Separation Methods
1. In chemical precipitation method: calcium oxide, aluminum sulfate, iron sulfates ,mixtures
of iron sulfates , alum , calcium carbonate and calcium chloride, low-grade MgO,
magnesium sulfate, zinc oxide nanoparticles, aluminum oxide, lanthanum oxide.
2. In coagulation method: Poly aluminium Chloride, poly diallyl dimethyl ammonium
3.

chloride, red mud, polyacrylamide.

In electro coagulation method: monopolar aluminum electrodes, iron plate electrodes,

carbon tetrachloride, sodium chloride, magnesium sulphate, carbon tetrachloride

4. In electro dialysis method: cation exchange membranes, standard anion exchange
membranes & monovalent selective anion exchange membranes.
5. In adsorption method: Ability of Iron(III)-Loaded Carboxylated Polyacrylamide-Grafted
Sawdust, slag and fly ash, Nanoscale zerovalent, ground granulated blast furnace slag,
bio-sorbents like Ficus religiosa, Cassia auriculata, Punica granatum and Calotropis
gigantean, red mud, bauxite wastes, carbon prepared from stembark.
6. In biological treatment method: aluminum oxide and lanthanum oxide, Hydrated lime.

Phosphate removal from different sources by using various separation methods

S.No

Types of
wastewater

Chemicals used

Separation

Type of

Removal

methods

equipment

efficiency

References

1.

Dye industry

low-grade MgO

Chemical

flocculation

precipitation

tester agitated at

(%)
90-99

200 rpm
2.

Fertilizer

Ca2+

industry

Chemical

precipitation

Batch reactor

85-91

--

Batch reactor,
--

precipitation

column studies
Glass beaker,
incubator

91.3

3.

Municipal

Silica, limestone,

4.

wastewater
Wastewater

metal oxide
Xonotlite

5.

Industrial

calcium oxide,

wastewater

aluminum sulfate,

Chemical

iron sulfates

precipitation

Batch reactor

--

Chemical

Batch reactor

83

precipitation
Biodephosphat

under stirring
Polyethylene

92

ation

batch reactor,

and a mixture of iron

6.

Wastewater

sulfates
Alum and Calcium

7.

Fertilizer

Chloride
Hydrated lime

industry
8.

Fertilizer

Ability of Iron(III)-

industry

Loaded

Adsorption

Glass beaker

90.3-97.6

Coagulation

Batch reactor

55-72

Carboxylated
Polyacrylamide9.

Dye industry

Grafted Sawdust
Polyaluminium
Chloride

with magnetic
--

10

10.

Synthetic

fly ash

Adsorption and

stirrer
--

11.

wastewater
Synthetic

slag

precipitation
Adsorption

--

96.9

11

12.

wastewater
Synthetic

and fly ash

magnesium sulfate.

precipitation

--

93

12

wastewater

13. Synthetic and

raw wastewater

Polyaluminium

Coagulation

Batch reactor

--

13

Adsorption

--

--

14

chloride ,
polydiallyldimethyla
mmonium

Synthetic

chloride ,red mud

Nanoscale

wastewater

zerovalent

15.

Synthetic

iron(nZVI))
monopolar

Electrocoagula

--

--

15

16.

wastewater
Industrial &

aluminum electrodes
Al electrode, sodium

tion
Electrochemic

electrochemical

--

16-1

Synthetic

chloride

al or

reactor

14.

wastewater
17.

Industrial
wastewater

16-2

Electrocoagula
cation, anion and

16-3

tion
Electrodialysis

Struvite reactors

93

17

Adsorption

Batch & column

--

18

19

monovalent exchange
membranes

18. synthetic and

industrial

ash, classC fly ash

effluents

& ground granulated

21.

studies

blast furnace slag

aluminum and iron

Electrocoagula

electrocoagulatio

100% -al

wastewater

plate electrodes

tion

n cell

and

Fertilizer

Metallic salts like

Chemical

--

84.7%- fe
CaO-90

industry

calcium oxide,

precipitation

19. dyes and textile

20.

alum sludge, coal

aluminum

aluminum sulfate,

sulphate-

iron sulfates & a

85

mixture of iron

iron

sulfates and calcium

sulphates-

Synthetic

oxide
bio-sorbents like

80
93% for F.

wastewater

Ficus religiosa,

religiosa,

Cassia auriculata,

100% for

Adsorption

20

--

21

Punica granatum and

C.

Calotropis

auriculata,

gigantean.

93% for P.
granatum
and 94%
for C.

22. Oily wastewater

23. pharmaceutical
wastewater

--

gigantean
99.6

22

64-98%

23

--

24

79%

25

--

26

96%

27

Ceramic membrabe

Coagulation,

M.F, Ca(OH)2,

Microfilteratio

polyacrylamide
zinc oxide nano

n
Chemical

Magnetic stirrer

particles

precipitation

( batch reactor )

methods ,
coagulation
,electro
24.

wastewater

25. food industry

aluminum

coagulation
Biological

Glass beaker

oxide and lanthanum

treatment and

mixing ( batch

oxide

chemical

reactor )

electrode

precipitation
chemical

Magnetic stirrer

materials ,NaCl ,

coagulation/pr

( batch reactor )

KCl

ecipitation,
adsorption, ion
exchange and
membrane

26.

27.

technologies
Adsorption

alluminium

Red mud, bauxite

industry

wastes

Industrial

slag

chemical

wastewater

and fly ash

precipitation

Glass beaker
mixing ( batch

adsorption

reactor
magnetic shaker

28.

Industrial

calcium oxide ,

Chemical

Wastewater

ferrous sulfates,

Precipitation,

aluminum sulfate

adsorption ,

29. Industrial Waste

water

---

--

28

Iron and aluminium

ion exchange
Chemical

Stirrer two stage

91%

29

ions

Precipitation,

treatment

adsorption
30.

waste water

Alum and Calcium

Chemical

Magnetic stirrer

83 %

30

31.

Wastewaters

Chloride
magnesium sulfate

Precipitation
electrocoagulat

( batch reactor )
---

--

31

32.

Industrial

carbon tetrachloride

ion
electrocoagulat Continuous Flow

---

32

Effluents
33. Agro-industrial
Wastewater
34. natural water
35.

bodies
fertilizer

industry
36. Environmental
Sites

ion

Electrocoagulati

physico-chemical

Electrolysis

on Reactor
Continuous flow

78%

33

process

Technology ,

bio-sorbents

electrolysis
Adsorption

Batch flow

87%

34

carbon prepared

Adsorption

Batch adsorption

---

35

from stembark
Alkalinity,

Biochemical

Magnetic stirrer

88.3%

36

92%

37

Hardness, Calcium,

( batch reactor )

Magnesium,
37.

38.

waste water

wastewater

39. Metal Finishing

Company

Chlorine, Flouride,
Calcium Phosphate

Tobermorite-

fixed bed

seeded

reactors , stirred

Ironphosphorus

Crystallisation
Chemical

reactors ,
Magnetic stirrer

82%

38

precipitation
Alkalinity,

Precipitation
Physical,

( batch reactor )
Magnetic stirrer

---

39

Hardness, Calcium,

chemical and

( batch reactor)

Magnesium

electrochemica

40. Pulp and Paper

NaCl

Effluent

l processes
electro

batch reactor

85%

40

batch reactor

82%

41

coagulation,
electro

41. iron and steel

company

Calcium,

floatation
Physical,

Magnesium

chemical and
electrochemica

42.

industrial

BOD, COD,

l processes
precipitators

Magnetic stirrer

86%

42

43.

effluents
Textile

sulphate, oil
calcium oxide

sedimentation
Primary

( batch reactor)
batch reactor

82%

43

Effluents

,ferrous sulfates

Treatment;
Secondary
Treatment;
Tertiary
Treatment

CONCLUSION:
There is a wide range of technologies to remove the phosphorus from different effluents
by using various methods like chemical precipitation, coagulation, electro coagulation method,
electro dialysis method, electro dialysis method, adsorption and biological treatment methods.
Various chemical like calcium oxide, Polyaluminium Chloride, cation exchange membranes,
Iron(III)-Loaded Carboxylated Polyacrylamide-Grafted Sawdust and aluminum oxide etc. are
used in the above methods. Mostly chemical precipitation, adsorption and coagulation methods
shows above 90% removal efficiency of phosphate from effluents. Hence it is necessary to
remove phosphate to minimize the health and environmental effects.

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