Phosphorus recovery from Indian sewage sludge by acidification and precipitation
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Autor:in (Körperschaft)
Publikationsdatum
2026
Typ der Arbeit
Studiengang
Sammlung
Typ
01A - Beitrag in wissenschaftlicher Zeitschrift
Herausgeber:innen
Herausgeber:in (Körperschaft)
Betreuer:in
Übergeordnetes Werk
Scientific Reports
Themenheft
DOI der Originalpublikation
Link
Reihe / Serie
Reihennummer
Jahrgang / Band
16
Ausgabe / Nummer
Seiten / Dauer
Patentnummer
Verlag / Herausgebende Institution
Nature
Verlagsort / Veranstaltungsort
Auflage
Version
Programmiersprache
Abtretungsempfänger:in
Praxispartner:in/Auftraggeber:in
Zusammenfassung
Phosphorus (P) recovery from sewage sludge offers potential for nutrient recycling in agriculture and is supported by India’s 2023 Draft National Policy on Fertilizer Management. This study investigates P recovery from five sewage sludge samples collected from sewage treatment plants in Kanpur and Delhi, with P concentrations ranging from 2.34 ± 0.03 to 15.80 ± 2.05 g P/kg dry matter. However, heavy metal concentrations, particularly cadmium (Cd) and chromium (Cr), exceeded Indian compost regulations, making direct land application unsuitable without further treatment. To assess recovery potential, sludge samples underwent 1-hour acidification. Between 17 and 48% of P was released at pH 3.5–4.5, considered optimal for minimizing chemical input. However, Cd, nickel (Ni), and zinc (Zn) were solubilized below pH 5, and Cr, copper (Cu), and lead (Pb) below pH 3. Subsequent precipitation from pH 3 leachates achieved 80–88% P recovery, but the final products exceeded international limits for Cr, Cd, arsenic (As), Ni, and Zn, even after citric acid treatment for heavy metal complexation. While the process demonstrates technical feasibility, as established in European contexts, the lower P concentrations in Indian sludge and the co-leaching of heavy metals present major challenges. With chemical costs estimated at 37–99$/kg of recovered P, the process is not yet economically viable compared to subsidized synthetic fertilizers at 0.76 $/kgP. Additionally, the absence of regulatory standards for mineral recycling fertilizers in India further limits the potential for scaling, underscoring the need for clear guidelines to foster product safety and market acceptance.
Schlagwörter
Fachgebiet (DDC)
Veranstaltung
Startdatum der Ausstellung
Enddatum der Ausstellung
Startdatum der Konferenz
Enddatum der Konferenz
Datum der letzten Prüfung
ISBN
ISSN
2045-2322
Sprache
Englisch
Während FHNW Zugehörigkeit erstellt
Ja
Zukunftsfelder FHNW
Publikationsstatus
Veröffentlicht
Begutachtung
Peer-Review der ganzen Publikation
Open Access-Status
Gold
Lizenz
Zitation
Breitenmoser, L., Eggimann, S., Sharma, A., Bose, P., Campling, P., & Hugi, C. (2026). Phosphorus recovery from Indian sewage sludge by acidification and precipitation. Scientific Reports, 16. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-34006-2