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Sustainable Treatment of Antibiotic Wastewater Using Combined Process of Microelectrolysis and Struvite Crystallization

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the synergistic effects of the process of iron-carbon microelectrolysis (ICME) followed by struvite (MAP) crystallization on treating antibiotic wastewater. Characteristics of ICME effluent depended mainly on the iron to carbon mass ratio (Fe/C). The optimum reaction conditions of Fe/C ratio of 2:1 and reaction time of 90 min were observed. The ICME effluent was further treated by MAP crystallization using Na2HPO4·12H2O and MgCl2·6H2O as precipitation agents. The results showed that, the Mg2+/NH4 +-N/PO4 3−-P molar ratio of 1:1:1 and pH 8.5, were suitable for the crystallization process, which could obtain high-quality MAP containing 5.18 % N,10.23 % Mg, and 13.83 % P. Optimal total removal rate of COD and NH4 +-N removal rate achieved 84.6 and 89.9 %, respectively. The economic evaluation of NH4 +-N recovery by the synergistic process was also conducted, indicating that the synergistic process had the potential to benefit COD emission reduction and nitrogen recovery.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of treating antibiotic wastewater using iron and carbon combined process of microelectrolysis and struvite (MAP) crystallization. The MAP was of high purity and good crystal morphology, which could be used as a slow-release fertilizer.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments on the manuscript. Besides, this research was supported by the Shandong Province Science and Technology Development Program, China (grant no. 2013GSF11718), and Jinan Science and Technology Development Program, China (grant no. 201201136).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353, China

    Jishi Zhang

  2. School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, 250353, China

    Shujun Chen & Xikui Wang

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  1. Jishi Zhang
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Correspondence to Jishi Zhang.

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Highlights

• Effects of Fe/C mass ratio on treatment efficiencies of antibiotic wastewater.

• 7-ADCD or 7-ACA was partly transformed into NH4 +-N by microelectrolysis.

• NH4 +-N concentrated was further recovered by struvite crystallization.

• MAP properties depended on Mg2+/NH4 +-N/PO4 3−-P molar ratio and pH.

• N- and P-rich MAP could be used as a slow-release fertilizer.

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Zhang, J., Chen, S. & Wang, X. Sustainable Treatment of Antibiotic Wastewater Using Combined Process of Microelectrolysis and Struvite Crystallization. Water Air Soil Pollut 226, 315 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-015-2581-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-015-2581-5

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