Laboratory-scale investigation of biological phosphate removal from municipal wastewater

Biological phosphate removal in the wastewater treatment processes is an ac knowledged phenomenon having gained worldwide support and can either he imp lemented independently or in synergy with chemical precipitation. The objec tive of this study was to evaluate the effect of biomass concentration on p hosphate uptake. Procedures entailed exposing varying biomass concentration s to anaerobic environments for 2 h followed by aeration for 5 h to achieve phosphate uptake. Orthophosphate concentrations were determined after anae robic and aerobic incubation using a Merck SQ118 spectrophotometer. There w as a noticeable change in phosphate removal with changes in biomass concent ration. Optimal phosphate removal was achieved at biomass concentration of 1 900 mg.l(-1). The findings of this investigation suggest a direct relatio nship between biomass concentration and phosphate removal capacity.