Preparation of a Novel Zirconium-Loaded Flocculant for Efficient Removal of Phosphorus.

Polysilicate-ferric-aluminum-zirconium (PSFAZ) was prepared using co-polymerization for the treatment of phosphorus wastewater. The preparation conditions of PSFAZ were optimized through a series of single-factor experiments, including Zr/Fe molar ratio, pH, sedimentation time, and dosage. The results demonstrated that PSFAZ exhibited an excellent phosphorus removal performance with 99.3% removal efficiency under the conditions of Zr/Fe ratio of 0.6/1, pH of 6, dosage of 25 mL/L and sedimentation time of 2 h. In real wastewater treatment, PSFAZ exhibited an exceptional phosphorus removal efficiency of 99.6%, accompanied by negligible metal leaching. The characterization results reveal that charge neutralization, ligand exchange, bridging effect and complexation reactions between metal ions and phosphorus play a dominant role in phosphorus removal. This study provides valuable insights into the practical application of novel inorganic composite flocculants for phosphorus wastewater treatment and reuse.