Fertilizer Potential of Calcium-Rich Substrates Used for Phosphorus Removal from Wastewater

Fertilizer potential of calcium rich substrates used for phosphorus (P) removal from wastewater was estimated. Advanced onsite wastewater treatment systems using reactive filter media instead of sand and gravel represented a viable alternative to conventional treatments. The fertilizer potential of the P-enriched media was tested in a pot experiment using a soil acquired in Lazy, situated 40 KM, south of Krakow, Poland. The results indicated that calcium-rich substrates were appropriate for P recycling from wastewater to agriculture since they had a moderate to high P sorption ability and could be used as soil amendments and improve crop yield. It was confirmed that the observed highest AL-extractable P from soil amended with Polonite.