Affiliation:
1. Research Institute of Environmental Protection, Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Saulėtekio al. 11, Vilnius, Lithuania
Abstract
Nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) particles have attracted much attention due to their ability to eliminate phosphate
(PO4-P) from water. In this study, samples of river water with a high concentration of PO4-P were collected from
Laukupė River, near the treated municipal wastewater drain outlet. The concentration of PO4-P in the sampled river
water was 1.1 mg/L (bad ecological status). Adsorption experiments were carried out to determine the suitability of
nZVI to remove PO4-P from actual river water. The applied dose of nZVI ranged from 0.05 g/L to 3.2 g/L, and contact
time ranged from 5 to 120 min. The results have shown that the 0.4 g/L dose of nZVI was sufficient to reduce the
PO4-P concentration below 0.05 mg/L after 5 min of contact time to reach a high ecological status of river water with
respect to phosphate.