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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Florence, South Carolina » Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #144043
Title: EXTRACTION OF SOLUBLE PHOSPHORUS IN SWINE LAGOONS

Author
item Szogi, Ariel
item Vanotti, Matias
item Hunt, Patrick

Submitted to: Animal, Agricultural and Food Processing Wastes Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/7/2003
Publication Date: 10/12/2003
Citation: SZOGI, A.A., VANOTTI, M.B., HUNT, P.G. EXTRACTION OF SOLUBLE PHOSPHORUS IN SWINE LAGOONS. PROCEEDINGS OF ANIMAL, AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD PROCESSING WASTES SYMPOSIUM. 2003. p. 596-602.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A major problem in sustainability of animal production is excess of manure phosphorus (P) exceeding land assimilative capacity. Land application of manure results in P buildup in soil and increased potential for P losses through runoff and subsequent eutrophication of surface waters. A wastewater treatment process was developed for removal of P from livestock wastewater. Phosphorus is selectively precipitated using an alkaline earth metal after carbon and ammonia buffers are reduced with a nitrification pretreatment. The method was tested with wastewater collected from nine hog lagoons in North Carolina. In all cases, the soluble P was effectively recovered as P precipitate. When used as a lagoon retrofit, the technology enables precision control of the N:P ratio of the treated effluent to desired levels to match specific crop needs or to solve problems of P accumulation in soil or remediation of contaminated spray fields. The final product is calcium phosphate that can be exported from the farm and reused as fertilizer.