ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Fertilizer Potential of Calcium-Rich Substrates
Used for Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater
V. Cucarella1, T. Zaleski2, R. Mazurek2, G. Renman1
More details
Hide details
1 Department of Land and Water Resources Engineering, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH);
Teknikringen 76, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
2 Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Agricultural University of Krakow;
Al. Mickiewicza 21, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2007;16(6):817-822
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Phosphorus (P) in wastewater is an important source of pollution, but properly managed, it can become
a resource. Reactive filter media with a high affinity for P are promising in reducing P from effluents allowing
nutrient recycling. In this study, three calcium-rich substrates (Filtra P, Polonite, wollastonite) with
ability to remove P from wastewater have been saturated with P and tested as potential fertilizers in a pot
experiment. Polonite had a relatively higher P content than Filtra P and wollastonite after saturation. All
three materials tended to improve the yield of barley compared with the control treatment. Polonite induced
the highest yield per unit of amendment from all three materials due to its higher P content, which could
be shown in a higher ammonium lactate (AL )-extractable P in soil after harvesting. The application of the
substrates slightly increased soil pH and decreased the hydrolytic acidity.