Iron and phosphorus recovery from ferric precipitation sludge

Abstract:: Iron salts are widely used for precipitation of phosphate and coagulation of other pollutants in water and wastewater treatment processes. This creates a chemical sludge with no value that is usually disposed of in landfills. This project will develop and demonstrate a novel electrochemical process that will enable both the iron and the phosphate to be recovered from this sludge. The iron can be reused in the treatment process, while the concentrated phosphate stream can be used as a fertiliser. This process will drastically reduce the amount of iron salts required and will provide a valuable recovery option for a limited resource (phosphate), while avoiding the disposal of large amounts of chemical sludge.
Grant type:: ARC Linkage Projects
Funded by:: Australian Research Council

The University of Queensland