Experimental Investigation and Literature Review of Phosphorus Removal in Flow-Through Systems During Various Engineering Applications

Abstract

The overloading of phosphorus (P) into aquatic environments over the past several decades has triggered widespread water quality deterioration, harmful algal blooms, and eutrophication. Due to their natural abundance, cost effectiveness, and excellent physicochemical properties and functionalities, carbonaceous materials (e.g., activated carbon and biochar) have been used to sorptively remove P from water and wastewater during various engineering applications. This thesis integrates both experimental investigation and literature review of carbonaceous materials, especially biochars, for P removal in flow-through systems during engineering applications. Laboratory experimental results showed that activated carbon and biochar (especially iron oxide-modified biochars) can effectively remove P in flow-through packed columns, due to their large surface area, rich pore structure, and favorable sites (e.g., iron oxides) for P sorption. Literature review suggests that biochar can be integrated into various flow-through treatment systems for enhanced P removal, including constructed wetlands, bioretention systems, bioreactors, trenches, bioinfiltration systems, and point-of-use household treatment systems. This is likely because biochar can introduce additional physical, chemical, and biological benefits for these treatment systems for enhanced P removal. Findings of this thesis support the advantages of integrating the cost-effective and efficient biochars (and modified biochars) for enhanced P removal during various flow-through engineering applications.