System for removing phosphorus from wastewater

Systems and methods for removing phosphorous (P) from P-containing wastewater are disclosed. The system includes a main filter unit (MFU) comprising P-adsorbing material. The MFU receives the P-containing wastewater and forms therefrom MFU-filtered wastewater having a first pH. A pH adjusting unit (AU) that contains pH-reducing material receives the MFU-filtered wastewater and forms therefrom AU-filtered wastewater having a second pH lower than the first pH. A replaceable filter unit (RFU) similar to the MFU but smaller may be arranged upstream of the MFU to pre-filter the P-containing wastewater. Some or all of the RFU may be replaced when maintaining the system.

Aleksandra Drizo was supported by SBIR Phase (0) award "Steel slag filter technology for phosphorus and suspended solids reduction from non point pollution sources" (2007).