SYSTEMATIC MAPPING OF PHOSPHORUS RECOVERY FROM INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATER

Abstract

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient used in fertilizers and food production but excessive levels in hydrological bodies of water can cause environmental issues. In a geochemical cycle, phosphorus is considered non-renewable, which by itself would be sufficient justification for its recovery from industrial wastewater. The objective of the present work was to conduct a literature review and present a panorama of current wastewater recovery methods. The review focused on the specific conditions of each technique, possible uses of the recovered element and major worldwide locations where this subject was studied. To this end, a systematic mapping technique was used with previously established empirical criteria. Publications from 3 scientific databases were scanned, resulting in 132,551 initial results and, through a rigorous filtering process, 81 studies were selected for review. In the selected studies, physicochemical recovery techniques were the most cited. An increase in studies was observed in 2016, when the number of publications doubled with respect to the preceding year and onwards. Worldwide, this subject is studied the most in Europe and Asia.