Organic/inorganic hybrid adsorbent for efficient phosphate removal from a reservoir affected by algae bloom

Abstract

A hybrid adsorbent was prepared in bulk by immobilizing copper onto commercially available natural chitosan as the polymeric matrix for selective removal of phosphate from a reservoir that was severely affected by algae bloom. The batch test showed similar to 35 mg g(-1) as P sorption capacity for phosphate and the laboratory scale column test for synthetic wastewater yielded the following affinity order: phosphate > sulfate > nitrate. The field-scale adsorption test showed that the effluent T-P satisfied the 0.2 mg L-1 standard. Overall results insinuate that the hybrid adsorbent can be considered as a promising candidate for efficient phosphate removal materials. (C) 2018 The Korean Society of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.