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optimizing
neutralization and uncovering neutralization effects on iron oxide adsorbents for phosphorus removal

Type of Project: BSc/MSc Thesis/internship
Starting date: Oct. 2024, a later starting time is possible
Duration: > 5 months (could be discussed)
Salary: – The allowance for students is €200. The student can apply for ‘Wetsus Grant’ allowance (€200 extra; an internal committee decides if the allowance will be granted*).
– Students can apply for Erasmus grant; (if the Erasmus grant is less than €400, the student can apply for the Wetsus Grant).
*The Wetsus Grant allowance is not guaranteed and must be approved by the Grant Committee.
Location: Wetsus – European center of excellence for sustainable water technology (Leeuwarden, Netherlands)

Introduction:
Phosphorus (P) management is key issue in wastewater treatment. While it is an important nutrient, excess P in water can lead to environmental issues. Controlling and removing P from wastewater effluent is therefore critical for protecting water quality and ecosystem health. Among the treatment strategies, the use of iron oxide adsorbents stands out for its good performance at low P levels. The iron oxides have a high affinity for phosphate ions, allowing them to capture P. This adsorption is reversible, with desorption generally achieved using NaOH solution, enabling the adsorbent to be reused in further cycles. A critical step following the regeneration of iron oxide adsorbents with strong alkali is the neutralization process. However, much research focuses on the adsorption perspective, the regeneration and neutralization aspects still lack a comprehensive understanding.

The current regeneration and neutralization process for iron oxide adsorbents faces several critical challenges. Typically, the regeneration using 1M NaOH (pH 14) for maximum efficiency. However, the presence of calcium and repeated regeneration cycles can significantly reduce the regeneration efficiency, and potentially reducing the stability of iron oxides. Additionally, the hydroxide retention within the adsorbent during regeneration complicates the neutralization process, increases the risk of surface precipitation, and results in chemical loss. Furthermore, the time-consuming neutralization process delays subsequent adsorption cycles and consumes substantial amounts of water and chemicals, increasing the operational costs.

Therefore, the primary goal of this research is to identify a balance between full neutralization and an operationally acceptable level of neutralization, determine the effects of incomplete neutralization on the performance of iron oxide adsorbents over multiple cycles, and improve the regeneration methods.

Your tasks:

  • Batch adsorption experiment operation.
  • Water quality analysis (TOC analyzer, LC-OCD, ICP-OES)
  • Material analysis (BET-SSA, SEM-EDX, FT-IR, etc.).
  • Data analysis.

 

Your profile:

  • Currently enrolled in Bachelor’s or Master’s studies
  • Background in environmental, chemical, physical, or material fields, whether in science or engineering disciplines
  • Good practical and experimental experience
  • Good communication skills in English.
  • Currently studying in the Netherlands or has citizenship from an EU country.

 

How to apply:
Please upload your CV (max. 2 A4 pages), a motivation letter (max. 1 A4 page), and a list of the attended courses in the application form below. Feel free to contact Yuwei Huang (yuwei.huang@wetsus.nl) if you have further questions or need more information.

Application form: Optimizing neutralization and uncovering neutralization effects on iron oxide adsorbents for phosphorus removal

  • Max. bestandsgrootte: 1 GB.
  • Max. bestandsgrootte: 1 GB.

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