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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 #386996
Research Project: Innovative Manure Treatment Technologies and Enhanced Soil Health for Agricultural Systems of the Southeastern Coastal Plain

Location: Coastal Plain Soil, Water and Plant Conservation Research

Title: Recovery of ammonia from livestock and municipal wastewater using gas permeable membranes: Effect of carbonate alkalinity

Author
item Vanotti, Matias
item DUBE, PATRICK - Water Environment Federation
item GARCIA-GONZALEZ, MARIA CRUZ - Instituto Tecnológico Agrario De Castilla Y León (ITACYL)
item MORAL, RAUL - Miguel Hernandez University

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/21/2020
Publication Date: 11/16/2020
Citation: Vanotti, M.B., Dube, P., Garcia-Gonzalez, M., Moral, R. 2020. Recovery of ammonia from livestock and municipal wastewater using gas permeable membranes: Effect of carbonate alkalinity. In: Proceedings of Industrial Water 2020 (Virtual Conference). November 7–19, 2020. Dechema: Frankfurt, Germany. p. 24-28.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Conservation and recovery of nitrogen (N) from animal wastes and industrial effluents is important because of economic and environmental reasons. This research determined the role of inorganic carbon (bicarbonate alkalinity) on the effectiveness of ammonia recovery using gas-permeable membrane technology and low-rate aeration. There were two distinct and interconnected mechanisms in this new approach. One was the release of hydroxide from the natural carbonates that increased the wastewater pH and promoted gaseous ammonia formation and membrane uptake. The other was the release of acidity and consumption of alkalinity by the nitrogen recovery process with the gas-permeable membrane. This acidification of the wastewater can completely halt the N recovery process. Therefore, an abundant inorganic carbon supply in balance with the ammonia in wastewater is needed for a successful operation of the technology. Fortunately, most swine manures contain ample supply of endogenous inorganic carbon and the process can be used to more economically recover ammonia using the natural inorganic carbon instead of expensive alkali chemicals. The process can be combined with phosphorus precipitation and therefore produce two recovered nutrient steams: ammonia and phosphate concentrates