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Simultaneous Removal of Phosphate and Nitrate from Synthetic and Real Wastewater by Meretrix lusoria as an Efficient and Novel Material

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Abstract

Phosphate (PO43−) and nitrate (NO3−) contamination causes the threatening issue of eutrophication. A major waste from seafood industries of various seashells including Anadara inaequivalvis, Saccostrea commercialis, Perna viridis, Tegillarca granosa, Filopaludina martensi, Babylonai areolate and Meretrix lusoria was thermally modified and investigated for PO43− and NO3− removal from synthetic and domestic wastewater. It was found that some raw seashells could remove ≥85% of PO43−, whereas their NO3− removal efficiency was poor. However, after calcination, among others, only M. lusoria pyrolysed at 800 °C (M. lusoria F800) was found as a novel adsorbent for both PO43− and NO3− removal. An increase in temperature and increased Ca(OH)2 content enhance the removal of PO43− and NO3− by precipitating with calcium ions (Ca2+). M. lusoria F800 was the best for PO43− and NO3− removal compared with commercial lime and other calcined seashells. The maximum adsorption capacity (Qmax) of M. lusoria F800 for PO43− and NO3− was 700 mg/g and 170 mg/g, respectively, which was higher than the Qmax of PO43− and NO3− by commercial lime Ca(OH)2 which was about 465 mg/g and 18 mg/g, respectively. The crystals of calcium phosphate-hydroxide and calcium nitrate-hydroxide complexes were mainly found in M. lusoria F800 that adsorbed PO43− and NO3, respectively, as confirmed by X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Also, M. lusoria F800 could completely remove PO43− and NO3− from domestic wastewater. Hence, easily handled and cost-effective M. lusoria F800 would increase the value of this waste material, increase water quality and mitigate eutrophication.

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Data Availability

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this article and its supplementary data files, and can be available from the corresponding author on request.

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Funding

The research leading to these results received funding from King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi through the Petchra Pram Jam Klao International Ph.D. Programme under Grant no. 35/ 2561.

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  1. School of Bioresources and Technology, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10150, Thailand

    Zubaida Daudzai & Paitip Thiravetyan

  2. Pilot Plant Development and Training Institute, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10150, Thailand

    Rujira Dolphen

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  1. Zubaida Daudzai
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PT and RD conceived the idea and design the experiments. ZD conducted the experiments and drafted the manuscript. All the authors analysed the experimental data, discussed and finalised the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Paitip Thiravetyan.

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Daudzai, Z., Dolphen, R. & Thiravetyan, P. Simultaneous Removal of Phosphate and Nitrate from Synthetic and Real Wastewater by Meretrix lusoria as an Efficient and Novel Material. Water Air Soil Pollut 232, 186 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-021-05103-5

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