Phosphorus capture recycling and utilization for sustainable agriculture using Al/organic composite water treatment residuals
Authors: Litaor Iggy , Ippolito James , Zohar Iris , Massey Michael 
Published: January 2022

Objectives: 1) develop a thorough understanding of the sorption mechanisms of Pi and Po onto the Al/O- WTR; 2) determine the breakthrough range of the composite Al/O-WTR during P capturing from agro- wastewaters; and 3) critically evaluate the performance of the composite Al/O-WTR as a fertilizer using selected plants grown in lysimeters and test-field studies. Instead of lysimeters we used pots (Israel) and one- liter cone-tainers (USA). We conducted one field study but in spite of major pretreatments the soils still exhibited high enough P from previous experiments so no differences between control and P additions were noticeable. Due to time constrains the field study was discontinued. Background: Phosphorous, a non-renewable resource, has been applied extensively in fields to increase crop yield, yet consequently has increased the potential of waterway eutrophication. Our proposal impetus is the need to develop an innovative method of P capturing, recycling and reuse that will sustain agricultural productivity while concurrently reducing the level of P discharge from and to agricultural settings. Major Conclusions & Achievements: An innovative approach was developed for P removal from soil leachate, dairy wastewater (Israel), and swine effluents (USA) using Al-based water treatment residuals (Al- WTR) to create an organic-Al-WTR composite (Al/O-WTR), potentially capable of serving as a P fertilizer source. The Al-WTR removed 95% inorganic-P, 80% to 99.9% organic P, and over 60% dissolved organic carbon from the agro-industrial waste streams. Organic C accumulation on particles surfaces possibly enhanced weak P bonding and facilitated P desorption. Analysis by scanning electron microscope (SEM- EDS), indicated that P was sparsely sorbed on both calcic and Al (hydr)oxide surfaces. Sorption of P onto WW-Al/O-WTR was reversible due to weak Ca-P and Al-P bonds induced by the slight alkaline nature and in the presence of organic moieties. Synchrotron-based microfocused X-ray fluorescence (micro-XRF) spectrometry, bulk P K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy (XANES), and P K-edge micro-XANES spectroscopy indicated that adsorption was the primary P retention mechanism in the Al- WTR materials. However, distinct apatite- or octocalciumphosphatelike P grains were also observed. Synchrotron micro-XRF mapping further suggested that exposure of the aggregate exteriors to wastewater caused P to diffuse into the porous Al-WTR aggregates. Organic P species were not explicitly identified via P K-edge XANES despite high organic matter content, suggesting that organic P may have been predominantly associated with mineral surfaces. In screen houses experiments (Israel) we showed that the highest additions of Al/O-WTR (5 and 7 g kg⁻¹) produced the highest lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolial) yield. Lettuce yield and P concentration were similar across treatments, indicating that Al/O- WTR can provide sufficient P to perform similarly to common fertilizers. A greenhouse study (USA) was utilized to compare increasing rates of swine wastewater derived Al/O-WTR and inorganic P fertilizer (both applied at 33.6, 67.3, and 134.5 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹) to supply plant-available P to spring wheat (TriticumaestivumL.) in either sandy loam or sandy clay loam soil. Spring wheat straw and grain P uptake were comparable across all treatments in the sandy loam, while Al/O-WTR application to the sandy clay loam reduced straw and grain P uptake. The Al/O-WTR did not affect soil organic P concentrations, but did increase phosphatase activity in both soils; this suggests that Al/O-WTR application stimulated microorganisms and enhance the extent to which microbial communities can mineralize Al/O-WTR-bound organic P. Implications: Overall, results suggest that creating a new P fertilizer from Al-WTR and agro-industrial waste sources may be a feasible alternative to mining inorganic P fertilizer sources, while protecting the environment from unnecessary waste disposal.