A new method for nutrients removal and recovery from wastewater using a bioelectrochemical system

Nutrients management is a key task of wastewater treatment and removal of nutrients is usually associated with significant energy/economic cost. A new bioelectrochemical system, named “R2-BES”, was developed for removing and possibly recovering nutrients from wastewater. This R2-BES takes advantage of bioelectricity generation from oxidation of organic compounds to drive ammonium migration out of wastewater, and uses hydroxide ions produced from the cathode reaction as a medium to exchange phosphate ions from wastewater at the same time. Under an applied voltage of 0.8 V, the R2-BES removed 83.4 ± 1.3% of ammonium nitrogen and 52.4 ± 9.8% of phosphate, significantly higher than those (3.6 ± 3.7% and 21.1 ± 2.6%) under an open circuit condition. Applying an external voltage can increase current generation, COD removal, and nutrient removal. Those results demonstrate a proof of concept that the R2-BES may be potentially applied to remove and recover nutrients through appropriate integration into the existing treatment facilities.