Abstract: Phosphorus, nitrogen and BOD are removed from organic waste liquid containing the same by mixing the organic waste liquid with activated sludge which is substantially free of oxygen, nitric acid and nitrous acid and subjecting the mixture to the action of the activated sludge under anaerobic conditions which forms a mixture of a liquid rich in soluble phosphorus and an activated sludge low in phosphorus. The sludge and liquid are separated. A portion of the liquid is subjected to solid-liquid separation to form a liquid high in phosphorus and a sludge low in phosphorus. This latter sludge is, along with the other portion of the liquid and the sludge from which the liquid has been initially separated are mixed with oxygen, in the presence of nitric acid or nitrous acid and subjected to aerobic biological oxidation. This results in the formation of a liquid low in phosphorus and an activated sludge.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of producing an aqueous solution rich in phosphorous and recovering metal compounds in the purification of sewage-water or raw-water, in a plant which includes at least one chemical treatment stage in which an iron compound is supplied to the water to precipitate phosphorous present therein. The method is characterized in that the sludge from the chemical treatment stage is treated with hydrogen sulphide under anaerobic conditions, phosphorous compounds being dissolved from the sludge and metal sulphide being formed. The metal sulphides are dissolved to form metal salt solutions, of which at least the iron salt solution is separated and recycled to the chemical treatment stage. It is also possible prior to separating the iron salt solutions to recycle the metal salt solutions one or more times. The dissolved phosphorous can be removed in the form of an aqueous solution and treated in accordance with the so-called Donnert-process, to form calcium phosphate.

Abstract: Cost effective and environmentally acceptable reagents and a method for flocculating fine particles from liquid suspensions are provided. A method for selectively flocculating fine particles from a slurry is also provided. The reagents comprise orange peel extract, corn husk extract and mixtures thereof. The method generally comprises the step of adding a reagent to a suspension of fine particles, mixing the combination of reagent and suspension and allowing the flocculated fine particles to settle out of suspension.

Abstract: Process for regenerating alkaline and neutral phosphate and/or silicate-containing degreasing and cleaning solutions which are contaminated with emulsified mineral and/or natural oils, by treating such contaminated solutions with a controlled quantity of either calcium ions, magnesium ions, or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: An environmentally sound system for the removal of elemental phosphorus from waste water resulting from phosphorus manufacture, use, conversion to other products, and storage, wherein the waste water is treated with a material such as lime that produces an insoluble phosphate, filtering the precipitate and passing the filtrate through a column of an adsorbent, such as activated carbon, to produce elemental phosphorus-free water which can be discarded without deleterious effects to the environment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for working up phosphorus-containing waste water by subjecting it to filtration with the use of a filter aid in a centrifugal filter. To this end, waste water with a temperature of at least 46.degree. C. and a pH-value within the range 0.5 to 4.0 is introduced into the centrifugal filter and fitrate coming from the centrifugal filter is introduced into a calming zone and separated therein within an average period of 10 to 60 minutes into yellow phosphorus and water containing 1 to 30 ppm of phosphorus. Water overflowing from the calming zone is treated with an oxidant and the waste water so freed from phosphorus is reacted with a neutralizing agent.

Abstract: A process for the production of a storage-stable preparation of micro-organisms, starting from a mixed culture of micro-organisms, which is capable to degrade products of industrial organic syntheses, which comprises that the culture conditions of an active mixed culture enriched in the customary manner are optimized, with the addition of the product to be degraded, in the customary manner according to the rate of degradation of the product and this mixed culture is converted in at least two passes into a stabilized activated mixed culture under the optimum conditions thus determined, and the culture thereby obtained is rendered storage-stable, its activity being maintained.

Abstract: Heterogenous nucleation on a seed material is promoted in the removal of phosphate from water by contacting the water with the seed material in a bed of grains of the seed material which bed is fluidized and kept in fluidization by the water stream itself, while the introduction of the reagent or reagents is effected so as to have a substantially complete heterogenous nucleation take place on the seed material.

Abstract: A process and product of waste recovery at phosphorus furnaces is disclosed wherein small sized discrete particles of carbonaceous material or beneficiated phosphate ore are mixed with a mineral axis, an alkaline fluid and water, and the reacted mixture is tumbled in a horizontal cylinder at a temperature below that at which the carbonaceous material oxidizes to form agglomerates which are then indurated to discrete particulate size as desired for a charge component; the agglomerates are fed to a phosphorus smelting furnace together with other materials needed to make elemental phosphorus, furnace gases are cooled with recirculating water, a side stream of the water is taken off, treated, and used as feedstock in fluid fertilizers. The side stream of water contains elemental phosphorus, and the side stream is used as make-up water in fertilizer processes. Apparatus is disclosed for agglomerating coke and phosphate and, further, for measuring the abrasion and shatter resistance of agglomerates.

Abstract: A process for obtaining calcium fluoride from the pond water of phosphoric acid plants and recycling the high phosphate defluorinated water to the pond is disclosed. Sufficient calcium carbonate is added to a solution having a pH of about 0.8, containing about 1% fluoride, 1% phosphate and less than 0.4% sulfate, to raise the pH thereof to 2-3, whereby calcium fluoride is precipitated as a major component, calcium phosphates and calcium sulfates are precipitated as minor components. The calcium fluoride precipitate obtained is washed with raw pond water to reduce the phosphate content and with ammonium carbonate solution to reduce the sulfate content. In this manner an industrially useful fluorspar is obtained. The low fluoride supernatant liquid is then mixed with sufficient raw pond water to bring the pH into the range 1.5-2.0 and the resulting suspension is then held in a lagoon for 5-21 days to permit separation of silica.

Abstract: For simultaneous elimination and fixation of phosphates from phosphate burdened aqueous liquids like sewage water a deposit space is formed by a soil matrix containing iron and/or aluminum. The soil matrix is defined by layers of poor hydraulic conductivity along its sides and at the bottom thereof and Limnophytae species like Phragmites, Typha, Carex, Glyceria, Eleocharis, Juncus, Iris pseudacorus, Iris versicolor, Schoenoplectus, Phalaris, Arundo are planted in the soil matrix to form a reactive space penetrated by the root systems of said plants. The phosphate containing liquid is introduced along one side of the deposit space and leaves the same with a phosphate content in the 0.1 mg/l range at flow rates in the range of 10.sup.-3 to 10.sup.-2 m per sec. Valuable phosphate deposits useful as arable land not requiring any phosphate fertilizer or useful as recoverable phosphate are obtained in amounts depending on the capacity and time period of phosphate fixation.

Abstract: Method for neutralizing waste cooling pond waters of wet process phosphoric acid plants, and for neutralizing similar waste waters from phosphate complexes, wherein neutralization is performed in two stages and wherein the flocculent precipitate from the second neutralization stage is disposed of by dissolving it in incoming untreated waste water prior to the first neutralization stage. Neutralization in the first neutralization stage is accomplished by addition of limestone to the waste water, and neutralization in the second neutralization stage is accomplished by addition of limestone to the water phase from the first neutralization stage. The precipitate from the first neutralization stage is readily separable from the liquid phase, and is suitable for disposal in the gypsum stack of a wet process phosphoric acid plant. The fully neutralized water meets federal and state requirements for disposal in surface and underground water systems as to pH and as to fluoride and phosphate content.

Abstract: The process disclosed in this invention takes the waste solids, gases, and water from a phosphorus pentasulfide manufacturing facility and hydrolyzes the phosphorus pentasulfide by heating. The phosphorus portion is converted to a soluble phosphate and the sulfur portion to a mixture of sulfide, sulfite and sulfate. The soluble fraction is then treated with a calcium hydroxide solution precipitating the phosphate and sulfates which are removed. The gaseous portion of the hydrolysis is fed to a catalytic oxidizer which converts the sulfides to sulfur, which is removed and the gas, free of sulfur containing species, is exhausted to the atmosphere. The filtrate from the precipitation reaction can be recycled to the plant, or may be chlorinated and discharged.

Abstract: A process is provided for decreasing elemental phosphorus levels in an aqueous medium containing elemental phosphorus. Preferably, the elemental phosphorus levels are at about 10 ppm or less. The process comprises adding to the aqueous medium an effective amount of caustic, preferably Ca(OH).sub.2, the effective amount being an amount sufficient to increase the pH of the aqueous medium to at least about 11, to produce a basic aqueous medium. The basic aqueous medium is then clarified and neutralized.

Abstract: A novel method for continuously monitoring and controlling the total alkalinity attributable to carbon dioxide, bicarbonate ion and carbonate ion such as is found in water and waste water treatment systems and in cooling towers. This method includes the steps of sampling the aqueous solution, adjusting the pH of the sample, detecting with a pCO.sub.2 probe the total carbon dioxide of the sample, and adding an alkalinity-controlling chemical to the aqueous solution. Also provided is a method for continuously monitoring this total alkalinity in a natural body of water.

Abstract: An improved method of operating an activated biomass process wherein influent and activated biomass are initially contacted under anaerobic conditions to form a mixed liquor, the mixed liquor is subsequently oxygenated, thereafter activated biomass is separated from the mixed liquor and at least a portion of the separated biomass is introduced into the initial contacting step. The improved method comprises maintaining both the F/M ratio and the BOD/P ratio within particular ranges, preferably relative to each other.

Abstract: A precipitating agent for the dephosphatization of effluent comprising by weight about 5 to 75% of active iron (III) sulphate, about 25 to 95% of active iron (III) oxide and 0 to about 10% of anhydrous magnesium sulphate. Optionally, an alkaline constituent such as the oxide or hydroxide of calcium or magnesium may also be present and dephosphatization is effected at a pH of about 4.5 to about 8.5. Extremely low contents of residual phosphorous can be obtained in the filtrate, a precipitate containing iron and phosphorous settling out cleanly.

Abstract: A process for promoting the reabsorption and retention by an activated biomass of phosphorous values previously contained by the biomass and released under anaerobic conditions, which process requires initially subjecting the biomass in admixture with a liquid medium to treatment under aerobic conditions employing a relatively high DO. When the pH of the mixture stops increasing, the aerobic treatment is continued but under a second, reduced DO level.

Abstract: A process for the chemical treatment of an effluent containing at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of an organometallic compound and an organic compound containing at least one of phosphorus, nitrogen and halogen, comprising treating the effluent hydrolytically for about 20 to 200 minutes at a temperature above about 100.degree. C. under a pressure above about 2 bars and a pH of about 1 to 14. Advantageously, a catalyst comprising activated carbon or kieselguhr is added to the effluent before the hydrolytic treatment and the hydrolytic treatment is carried out in the presence of ammonia or a primary or secondary amine. The organic compound may be an acid ester, a dye, or quaternary ammonium compound, a cyanide, a nitrile, a cyanate, an isocyanate, hydrazine, an organic derivative of hydrazine, an azo compound or an organometallic compound and the effluent may be aftertreated as with hypochlorite or H.sub.2 O.sub.2.

Abstract: A method of cleaning phosphorus-containing waste water by utilizing microorganisms which are capable of accumulating efficiently organic and inorganic phosphorus compounds in themselves. Such microorganisms are found to belong to the Arthrobacter, Micrococcus, Nocardia, Cellulomonas, Oerskovia, Corynebacterium, Brevibacterium and Kurthia genuses.