Phosphorus does not have a gaseous form, so it must be converted from soluble form to particulate form for removal. Chemical Phosphorus removal uses Iron or Aluminum compounds to combine with and precipitate out Phosphate.

Biological Phosphorus removal utilizes Phosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs). In the anaerobic environment, the PAOs consume volatile fatty acid compounds, while they release Phosphate into the water. In an aerobic environment, the PAOs consume more Phosphate than they can digest, which results in a net removal of Phosphorus from the wastewater. The PAOs settle in the secondary clarifier and are removed when the sludge is wasted.

Typically in chemical Phosphorus removal, the flow weighted average Phosphate is used to set a static dose. This will lead to over and under dosing which could waste money and cause a permit violation! Using real-time data to control dosing can significantly reduce the cost of chemical Phosphorus removal.

In biological treatment, Aeration can be 70% of a plant’s budget because most wastewater treatment plants play it safe by running their blowers full speed 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

Knowing your real-time Phosphate levels is critical to save you money by reducing chemicals or deciding when to turn off the blowers. How would more frequent or real time monitoring help you see the BIG picture?