Design and Preliminary Testing of an In-Field Passive Treatment System for Removing Phosphorus from Surface Water

Abstract

It is well documented that excess phosphorus in source waters is a major contributor to harmful algal bloom formation. While there are many approaches to controlling algal populations in reservoirs, including a variety of phosphorus reduction approaches (e.g., sequestration of legacy phosphorus with alum or clay products), addressing physical phosphorus loading upstream is considered less often. Water treatment residuals (WTR) containing alum, a common waste product of conventional surface water treatment, have been shown to retain the ability to capture phosphorus even after the WTR ‘sludge’ is formed and removed from the sedimentation process. This research designed and tested a refillable, reusable in-stream phosphorus cartridge system which beneficially reutilizes WTR ‘sludge’ to sequester instream phosphorus and remove it from the water when spent media is replaced. This reduces in-stream phosphorus entering into the reservoir without permanently adding additional materials to the waterbody and provides measurable results as to the amount of phosphorus removed. The ten sampling events during the first year’s field assessment indicated that the gates removed a total of 556.31 g of reactive phosphorus (PO43−) and it is anticipated that the actual phosphorous removal was even greater. Other watershed managers can implement the same approach using their own WTR to capture in-stream phosphorus.

Unraveling the Phosphorus Adsorption Mechanisms in Three-dimensional Reduced Graphene Oxide Materials

“…2,3 The interaction between phosphorus and several ecosystems worldwide has negatively impacted available water quality. 1,4 At the same time, there is an increasing need for water suitable for human consumption. 4 The phosphate ion is a limiting factor for water eutrophication.…”

“…1,4 At the same time, there is an increasing need for water suitable for human consumption. 4 The phosphate ion is a limiting factor for water eutrophication. The excess of PO 4 −3 (aq) stimulates the overproduction of algae and phytoplankton, impacting water quality, reducing dissolved oxygen, and leading to the death of aquatic organisms.…”

“…However, anthropogenic activities associated with rapid population growth and industrial development have significantly altered the global phosphorus cycle. Large amounts of phosphorus, mainly in phosphate ion form (PO 4 –3 (aq) ), are released during human activities such as phosphate mining, fertilizer production, farming-related processes, food manufacturing, and waste treatment. , The interaction between phosphorus and several ecosystems worldwide has negatively impacted available water quality. , At the same time, there is an increasing need for water suitable for human consumption . The phosphate ion is a limiting factor for water eutrophication.…”

Diatomite Composited with a Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework for Removing Phosphate from Water

“… 4 However, excess phosphorus emissions will lead to a series of environmental problems. 5 The accumulation of phosphorus in water from mining, industrial production, and agricultural activities could contribute to eutrophication. 6 Thus, phosphorus pollution has become one of the most critical factors toward ecological issues in the world.…”

“…Phosphorus is one of the essential elements for various life activities of human beings, animals, and plants. − It plays a critical role in agronomic production and industry development . However, excess phosphorus emissions will lead to a series of environmental problems . The accumulation of phosphorus in water from mining, industrial production, and agricultural activities could contribute to eutrophication .…”