Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID NJ_2024_LI

Process Modeling and Evaluation of an Intensive Microalgal Process to Reduce Point Source Phosphorus Load from Wastewater

Institute: New Jersey
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $25,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $25,000

Principal Investigators: Yalin Li

Project Summary: More than 40% of US’ lakes, rivers, and streams are in poor condition with nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) being the most widespread stressors, and phosphorus is usually the limiting nutrient for eutrophication and harmful algal growth. To improve water quality, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) face increasingly stringent discharge permit limits that are close to or exceed the capacity of existing phosphorus treatment technologies. A promising technology to enhance phosphorus treatment is microalgal processes that use microalgae to replace the bacteria in biological nutrient removal (BNR) processes. In addition to meeting ultra-low phosphorus effluent limit (e.g., <0.04 mg/L total phosphorus; lower than New Jersey’s standards for surface water), microalgae are also capable of carbon fixing and can be used as a renewable feedstock for bioproducts and liquid biofuels. The proposed research aims to evaluate the technical (effluent quality), cost, and environmental performance of an intensive microalgal technology (EcoRecover) as a tertiary treatment for phosphorus removal. Process models for four wastewater treatment trains will be developed that include: (i/ii) conventional activated sludge (AS) process with chemical precipitation or EcoRecover and (iii/iv) AS and BNR with chemical precipitation or EcoRecover. These process models will then be used to simulate effluent quality (chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, total phosphorus) and calculate operating cost and greenhouse gas emissions. Results from this research will provide critical information to technology developers, utilities, and regulators on the technical feasibility/reliability, cost affordability, and environmental implications of meeting target effluent limit through existing and emerging technologies.