Evaluation of flue gas desulfurization gypsum as a low-cost precipitant for phosphorus removal from anaerobic digestion effluent filtrate

Yaping Guo, Adam Khalaf, Wenzhuo Kong, Hongzhen Ma, Jiawei Liang, Dongxu Zhao, Zhiguo Wang, Yebo Li, Fuqing Xu

Abstract


Land application of anaerobic digestion (AD) effluent as a fertilizer is desirable for nutrient recycling, but often supplies excess phosphorus (P), which contributes to surface water eutrophication. Reducing the P content in AD effluent filtrate using calcium (Ca) treatment prior to land application is a potential strategy for improving effluent disposal and meeting the discharge standard. This study took flue gas desulphurization (FGD) gypsum, a by-product of coal-fired power plants, as a low-cost Ca source, and combined with traditional phosphorus removal agents to achieve high phosphorus removal efficiency with less chemical cost. As the results showed, FGD gypsum dosages of 20 mmol/L Ca (3.44 g/L) and 40 mmol/L Ca (6.89 g/L) removed up to 97.1% of soluble P (initially 102.8 mg/L) within 60-90 minutes. Combining FGD gypsum treatment with traditional chemical treatments using calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2] or ferric chloride (FeCl3) could achieve >99% P removal with reduced chemical costs. This study demonstrated that FGD gypsum is an efficient calcium-based precipitant for phosphorus removal, offering a cost-effective and sustainable approach to enhance wastewater treatment practices and meet discharge standards in wastewater management.
Key words: flue gas desulfurization gypsum; anaerobic digestion effluent; precipitation; phosphorus removal; eutrophication
DOI: 10.25165/j.ijabe.20241704.8227

Citation: Guo Y P, Khalaf A, Kong W Z, Ma H Z, Liang J W, Zhao D X, et al. Evaluation of flue gas desulfurization gypsum as a low-cost precipitant for phosphorus removal from anaerobic digestion effluent filtrate. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2024; 17(4): 198–206.

Keywords


flue gas desulfurization gypsum; anaerobic digestion effluent; precipitation; phosphorus removal; eutrophication

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