Ammonium removal from wastewater via struvite pyrolysate recycling with Mg(OH)2 addition

Abstract

Magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP) pyrolysate recycling technology was investigated with Mg(OH)2-mediated pyrolysis. The results revealed that the removal ratio of ammonium was stable at about 75%, and could be increased to 79% after additional acidolysis. The phosphate concentration in the supernate was low at 2 mg/L. The optimum conditions for ammonia release were a 1:1 molar ratio of Mg(OH)2:NH4+, a heating temperature of 110 °C and a heating time of 3 h. With continual additions of Mg(OH)2 to release ammonia, magnesium phosphate (Mg3(PO4)2) was suggested as a possible derivative. However, with Mg(OH)2-mediated pyrolysis, the growth and nucleation of MAP was inhibited during MAP pyrolysate recycling.