Chemical phosphate removal from Hartbeespoort Dam water, South Africa

Authors

  • KPT Atta Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
  • JP Maree 1. ROC Water Technologies, PO Box 70075, Die Wilgers, Pretoria, 0041, South Africa; 2. Department of Water & Sanitation, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa
  • MS Onyango Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
  • L Mpenyana-Monyatsi Department of Environmental, Water and Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, Tshwane University of Technology, Private Bag X680, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
  • M Mujuru Department of Water & Sanitation, Faculty of Science & Agriculture, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga 0727, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/wsa/2020.v46.i4.9074

Keywords:

eutrophication, water hyacinth, cyanobacteria, sediments, algae, lime, ferric chloride, aluminium chloride, ferrous chloride

Abstract

Phosphate is one of the major nutrients contributing to the increased eutrophication of lakes and natural waters. The feed water to the Hartbeespoort Dam amounts to 650 ML/d of mainly treated sewage.  Phosphate levels in the dam water need to be lowered from the current 0.2 mg/L to less than 0.05 mg/L to control eutrophication.  Chemicals such as iron(III), iron(II), aluminium(III) and lime can be used to precipitate phosphate as FePO4, Fe3(PO4)2, AlPO4 and Ca3(PO4)2, respectively. OLI software was used to identify the most suitable chemical for phosphate removal. It was found to be Ca(OH)2 as this only requires the pH to be raised to 9.5. FeCl3, FeCl2 and AlCl3 were found to be unsuitable due to the required pH and/or the extent to which they could remove phosphate. For lowering of phosphate levels from 0.2 mg/L (as P), the current concentration in the Hartbeespoort Dam water, to <0.05 mg/L (as P), the minimum concentration that is needed to support algal growth, a lime dosage of 50 mg/L  is required. The cost of lime treatment will amount to 0.15 ZAR/m3. It is thus recommended that eutrophication in the Hartbeespoort Dam be controlled by removal of phosphate through lime dosing.

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Published

2020-10-27

Issue

Vol. 46 No. 4 October (2020): Water SA

Section

Research paper

License

Copyright (c) 2020 KPT Atta, JP Maree, MS Onyango, L Mpenyana-Monyatsi, M Mujuru

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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How to Cite

KPT Atta (2020) “Chemical phosphate removal from Hartbeespoort Dam water, South Africa ”, Water SA, 46(4 October). doi:10.17159/wsa/2020.v46.i4.9074.