Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: High-Efficiency Nutrient Removal and Recovery for Achieving Low Regulatory Limits
EPA Contract Number: EPD17007Title: High-Efficiency Nutrient Removal and Recovery for Achieving Low Regulatory Limits
Investigators: Shirazi, Fatemeh
Small Business: Microvi Biotech, Inc.
EPA Contact: Richards, April
Phase: I
Project Period: November 1, 2016 through April 30, 2017
Project Amount: $100,000
RFA: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) - Phase I (2016) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) , SBIR - Water
Description:
The discharge of nutrients (e.g. phosphorus and ammonia) to surface waters can cause environmental damage and the formation of toxic algal blooms, threatening human health and the environment. An estimated $4.3 billion is lost each year in property value, recreation opportunities, wildlife, and drinking water quality due to the eutrophication of freshwater in the United States. Current ammonia and phosphorus removal technologies such as chemical precipitation and conventional biological systems can be costly and ineffective to reliably achieve impending effluent regulatory limits of <0.1 mg/L for phosphorus.
The purpose of this project was to develop a novel, cost-effective solution for consolidating the treatment of phosphorus and ammonia in wastewater, and subsequently recovering concentrated phosphorus that can be converted to a valuable byproduct. The core innovation of this technology is the use of novel biocatalysts comprising specialized microorganisms capable of rapidly and reversibly accumulating phosphorus from complex wastewaters, while simultaneously removing ammonia. Unlike conventional biological systems, the proposed technology does not rely on the growth and wasting of biomass, thereby enabling a less expensive, energy-efficient, and minimal sludge process.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
The Phase I project demonstrated that the MB-POWRTM technology is a technically feasible and commercially viable technology for the removal of both nitrogen and phosphorus from wastewater. The project’s key objectives include designing, building and operating two different reactor configurations; determining optimal conditions for maximum phosphorus uptake; operating down-selected reactor design continuously; and determining conditions for phosphorus recovery.
The down-selected reactor design was a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) configuration as determined through a side-by-side comparison with a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR). In the SBR configuration, the MB-POWR technology was tested under a variety of conditions to determine the optimal conditions for maximum phosphorus uptake. Under the optimized conditions, MB-POWR exhibited consistent removal of phosphorus down to <0.1 mg P/L with 1 mg P/L feed concentrations and reached total phosphorus limits as low as 0.03 mg P/L in actual secondary effluent from a local municipal wastewater treatment plant. The MB-POWR technology was operated continuously for nearly six (6) months with no decrease in performance attributed to length of operation. Phosphorus removal was also observed to occur simultaneously with the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate. Up to 25 mg NH3-N/L in the influent feed could be completely removed within a 1- hour retention time, all while achieving effluent P concentrations as low as 0.1 mg/L. Along with the removal of nutrients from wastewater, the recovery of phosphorus was also investigated. The MB-POWR technology exhibited phosphorus recovery up to 43% of that accumulated, with the average recovery ranging from 14-33% for various water feed compositions. The recovered phosphorus could be reused as a component of agricultural fertilizer or other industrial chemical manufacturing uses. Finally, a preliminary technoeconomic analysis outlined process implementation options for the MB-POWR technology and found that a cost savings of up to 40% over conventional technologies such as chemical precipitation.
Conclusions:
The data obtained in Phase I support the technical feasibility of MB-POWR technology, and allowed for the determination of optimal conditions for nutrient removal and recovery. The achievement of phosphorus levels down to <0.1 mg P/L allow for the achievement of the stringent phosphorus effluent limits imposed in many states and jurisdictions around the world. Further, this technology focuses on not only removal of phosphorus, but on its recovery, as conservation of this vital and non-renewable nutrient is essential for supporting future population growth and economic development. The release and recovery of up to 43% of accumulated phosphorus has been observed with MB-POWR technology, allowing for a more sustainable method of wastewater treatment. Further, MB-POWR represents a complete nutrient removal system, as ammonia can be simultaneously removed. The research conducted in Phase I has shown the promise MB-POWR technology to treat phosphorus and ammonia more rapidly and to lower limits than conventional approaches, while simultaneously creating the opportunity for phosphorus recovery to offset costs and help protect environmental quality.
Commercialization:
The MB-POWR technology has garnered significant interest from the wastewater industry in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to municipal wastewater treatment, the technology has applications in the diverse industrial wastewater market as well as uses for agricultural runoff and stormwater treatment. The MB-POWR technology is patented with global patents on its manufacturing, process design, and process implementation. The MB-POWR technology is an attractive option for new and existing plants, both small and large, including those seeking higher efficiency nutrient removal options than currently implemented processes. The value proposition for the MB-POWR technology includes: (1) consistent phosphorus removal to below 0.1 mg/L; (2) reliable and robust operation; (3) no loss of performance due to shifts in the microbial community or water chemistry; (4) ease of implementation and operation; (5) rapid startup (days instead of weeks or months); (6) short retention times of less than 30 minutes leading to small reactor footprints (7) simultaneous removal of ammonia and phosphorus; (8) recovery of concentrated phosphorus as a high value product or as mineralization into struvite for reprocessing and reuse in agriculture; and (9) significantly lower overall costs than chemical precipitation or conventional biological phosphorus uptake. Together, these advantages position the MB-POWR technology to meet significantly unmet needs in the $28 billion per annum global advanced wastewater treatment market, and catalyze the transformation of wastewater treatment plants as resource recovery facilities.
SBIR Phase II:
High-Efficiency Nutrient Removal and Recovery for Achieving Low Regulatory Limits | Final ReportThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.