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Ion exchange using synthetically produced zeolite and certain natural zeolites such

as clinoptilolite
and chabazite
Ammoniacal nitrogen is present in two forms when in water; ammonia (NH3) or
ammonium (NH4 + ) which exist in equilibrium depending upon the pH and
temperature of the waters in which they are found. Of the two, the free ammonia
form is considerably more toxic to organisms. This free ammonia is a gaseous
chemical, whereas the NH4 + form of reduced nitrogen is an ionized form that
remains soluble in water.
NH4 + + OH- NH3 + H2O
NH3 + H3O+ NH4 + + H2O
zeolites are ion selective:
K+ > NH4 + > Sr2+ > Na+ > Ca2+ > Fe3+ > Al3+ > Mg2+
Natural zeolites are micro porous, crystalline materials having three-dimensional
aluminosilicate tetrahedral. aluminium (Al3+) atom substitution for silicon (Si4+) in
the zeolite framework generates a deficiency of positive charges. Then, the
deficiency partially leads to negative charge within zeolite pores, which is balanced
by various mono or divalent cations, such as NH4 + , Na+ , K+.
. Chemical regeneration aims at replacing ammonium ions from zeolite with other
monovalent cations (e.g., Na+ ), which allows exhausted zeolite to have
exchangeable sites for ammonium ion again. The chemical regeneration process is
often based on the following reaction using NaCl: NH4 + ions are easily removed
because at high pH the displaced NH4 + ions are converted to NH3 molecules. The
NH3 molecules can not exchange back onto the resin.
NH4-Z + Na+ + Cl- = Na-Z + NH4 + + Cl
The disappearance of NH4 + ions from solution favours the equilibrium to drive
more NH4 + ions off the resin. Therefore alkaline regeneration requires a smaller
volume of regenerant than NaCl only regeneration
The relatively low cost, ease of operation, and high efficiency make natural zeolite
more competitive with other nitrogen recovery methods from domestic wastewater.
disadvantage of natural zeolite ion exchange is the chemical regeneration required
after zeolite is saturated by ammonium ion exchange High regeneration costs for
chemicals (e.g., NaCl) will mitigate the merits of zeolite for nitrogen removal and
recovery.

Membrane chemisorption
Ammonium ion reactor in water
NH4+ OH- NH3 g H2 O
This reaction is reversible and can be driven forward or backward depending on the
water pH. At a pH of 11.3 or higher, the equilibrium favors the formation of free
ammonia gas which can be removed from a waste water solution across the air
filled pores of a microporous hydrophobic membrane when a proper driving force is
maintained. The small pore size and the hydrophobic nature of membrane prevents
the liquid phase from entering into the pores or flowing through the porous wall due
to surface tension effects.
However, an acid solution will work very effectively as a means of removing the
ammonia gas from waste water. The low-pH sulphuric acid solution will instantly
react with ammonia gas according to Equation 2 below to form ammonium
sulphate. This will generate and maintain the concentration differential or driving
force for removing ammonia from waste water. Hollow fibre membrane
2NH3 H 2SO4 (NH4 )2 SO4 Eq 2
The process above generates a concentrated solution of up to 30% of ammonia
sulphate, which is a fertilizer.

hydrophobic hollow fiber and flat sheet membrane contactors. These hydrophobic
membrane contactors were used to separate the water stream to be treated and a
receiving solution.

Nitrification and denitrification

Nitrification of ammonia results from the sequential action of two separate groups of
chemolithoautotrophic organisms, the ammonia oxidizing bacteria"Nitrosomonas"
genus and the nitrite oxidizing bacteria Nitrobacter" genus.

3
2

NH4+

NO2- +

O2

NO2- +H20 + 2H+

1
NO32 O2

Nitrosomonas sp. and Nitrobacter sp are commonly found in wastewater


Main factor influence this process substrate concentration, dissolved oxygen
concentration, pH, temperature
Ph 7-8, 2g O2/m3,25-35C
Denitrification is the conversion of ionic nitrogen oxides, nitrate and nitrite, into
atmospheric nitrogen by a heterogeneous assembly of mainly heterotrophic,
denitrifying bacteria, through a series of intermediate gaseous nitrogen oxide
products, as shown in equation (5), under anoxic conditions
NO3-

NO2-

NO N20

N2

Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate


Nitrification occurs only under aerobic conditions at dissolved oxygen levels of 1.0
mg/L or more. Nitrification requires a long retention time, a low food to
microorganism ratio (F:M), a high mean cell residence time (measured as MCRT or
Sludge Age). biological treatment systems are adversely affected by cold
temperatures and changes in effluent characteristics.

Activated sludge, sequencing batch reactor, membrane bioreactor

Air stripping

Air stripping is a process by which a liquid, usually water or wastewater, is brought


into intimate contact with a gas, usually air, so that some undesirable substances
present in the liquid phase can be released and carried away by the gas.
Ammonia (a weak base) reacts with water (a weak acid) to form ammonium
hydroxide. In ammonia stripping, lime or caustic is added to the wastewater until
the pH reaches 10.8 to 11.5 standard units which converts ammonium hydroxide
ions to ammonia gas according to the following reaction(s):
NH4 + + OH NH3 + H2O
Carried out in packed bed column. The process consist of counter current flow of
water and air through a packing material.The pack tower consist of a cylindrical
drum equipped with gas inlet and distributing space at bottom, a liquid inlet and
distributor at the top; gas and bottom. The inert solid called packings are used to
increase the transfer surface. Water is pumped to the top of the tower, and is
allowed to flow down over the packing, while air is pumped counter current from the
bottom of the tower. The contaminant of ammonia are stripped out of the water into
the air stream. The efficiency depends on ph temperature and tower height.

Chemical precipitation
Chemically, precipitation is the transition of a substance from the dissolved state to
the non-dissolved state by the addition of other reagents that lead to the formation
of precipitates
The precipitation of NH4 + -N by forming magnesium ammonium phosphate (MAP)
precipitate is the most common chemical precipitation approach used for the
ammonium elimination. The basic chemical reaction to form MAP is expressed in the
following equation
Mg + + NH+ + H2PO- 4 + 6H2O = MgNH4PO46H2O + 2H+
dyes and fertilizer industries
optimum pH 8.5 for precipitation , neutralized for treatment
magnesium oxide and phosphorus as reagent

The optimized ratio of Mg:N:P can be estimated by performing various experimental


runs. The optimized ratio here is 0.06:1:0.07
Precipitate recovered as fertilizers

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