Project Page Views: [ 616 ]
Project Metadata Element | Details |
Project Title | A Novel Biotechnological Approach To Phosphorus Removal From Wastewaters. |
Research Area | Water |
Project Acronym | |
Principal Investigator or Lead Irish Partner | JohnW McGrath |
Lead Institution or Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
Lead Country | Ireland |
Latitude, Longitude (of Lead Institution) | 54.58443, -5.93460 |
Lead Funding Entity | Environmental Protection Agency |
Approximate Project Start Date | 01/09/2006 |
Approximate Project Finishing Date | 01/04/2010 |
Project Website (if any) | |
Links to other Web-based resources | |
Project Keywords | Wastewater; Phosphorus; Removal; Biotechnology |
Project Abstract | Phosphate removal from wastewaters is important for the control of eutrophication and is enforced by strict legislation. Current technologies employed to achieve discharge consents are expensive and/or unreliable. We have discovered that certain activated sludge micro-organisms show greatly enhanced phosphate uptake accompanied by intracellular polyphosphate accumulation if exposed to a short period of acid pH. We have demonstrated the potential of this system at the pilot scale (2000 litres) and are now engaged in a full scale trial; P removal may be increased by up to 80% using our acid pH process. This previously-unreported phenomenon thus offers the prospect of a novel solution to a serious environmental problem. Prerequisite to further exploitation of our novel P removal process is a greater scientific understanding of the i'acid stimulationi phenomenon. |