Long-term operating conditions for different sorption materials to capture phosphate from domestic wastewater

This paper presents the results of a study on the possibility of applying various configured filters filled with a mixture of Rockfos® and Leca® material for the effective capture of phosphate from domestic wastewater. The tests were carried out for two years at two wastewater flow rates (20 and 40 L/day) in three pairs of filtration columns with a volume of filter material equal to 20 L each. Columns 1A and 1B were filled only with Rockfos®. Columns 2A and 2B contained Rockfos® and two 5-cm layers of Leca®. Columns 3A and 3B were filled with Rockfos® and a 10% addition of Leca®. A high phosphate removal efficiency was obtained at a level of 93.2–94.9% for all columns tested at a flow rate of 20 L/day with a retention time of 12 h. After 250 days of the experiment, the efficiency of phosphate removal decreased significantly, which was associated with a drop in the temperature of the inflowing wastewater (3 Rockfos® with the addition of Leca® in 1 m3/day of wastewater inflow.