Substantiating the use of aluminium sulfate for the elimination of phosphorus from wastewater at the Saint-Petersburg wastewater treatment facilities

Summary

The article opens a series of three articles dedicated to the introduction of aluminium sulfate as a chemical for chemical removal of phosphorus compounds from wastewater. The urgency of the task of eliminating nutrients from wastewater is described; the primary concern of removing phosphorus for the protection of water bodies from eutrophication is substantiated. A short literature review including the practice of chemical removal of phosphorus from wastewater in USA and European Union is presented. Special features of the basic chemicals – calcium, aluminium and iron compounds – essential for the practical application of chemical removal of phosphorus are described. The second article will present the evaluation of the toxicity of aluminium and iron compounds; the results of investigating the impact of iron and aluminium salts on the aeration tank biocenosis and sludge mixture dewaterability will be discussed. The third final article will present a detailed report on the introduction of aluminium sulfate as a chemical for chemical removal of phosphorus compounds from wastewater at the Saint-Petersburg wastewater treatment facilities.

Key words

wastewater , aluminium sulphate , nutrients removal , chemical precipitation of phosphorus , ferric sulfate , insoluble phosphates