Novel Hybrid Ion Exchange Resins for Concurrent Removal, Recovery, Reconcentration, Reuse and Recycle of Pollutant Nutrients (Nitrogen) N and Phosphorus (P)

The RD&D and deployment of commercially proven, high-surface area adsorbents, aka, Hybrid Ion Exchange (HIX) resin infused with nanomaterials (HIX-Nano Resins) have the capability to capture phosphorus from point or non-point sources and already in, or about to enter, an eco-system - i.e., carryout pond/lake restoration or lagoon cleanups. Chemical addition is not needed at the pollutant source and the passive process is simple to operate and readily scalable to large volumes of wastewater. Regeneration is the key to recovery and concentration into bioavailable, soluble P nutrient solutions. Customized liquid N-P-K formulations with a greater market value compared to current P-recovery fertilizer products (i.e., struvite) are produced from the desorbed phosphorus and ready for use by hydroponics, aquaponics, or greenhouse growers. In addition, non-fertilizer, inorganic chemical catalysts or manufactured materials with much higher value compared to fertilizer products are being evaluated for commercial acceptance in the Oil & Gas and Energy Storage sectors.Lehigh University, the patent/license holder and co-commercializer of HIX-Nano resins has answered the low level concentration of arsenic in drinking water challenge in the US and has saved thousands of lives from arsenic poisoning in India-Bangladesh. Similar water chemistry, which is more effective and scalable for removing dissolved phosphate enables HIX-Nano applied by ESSRE and others to treat P-pollutant point and non-point wastewater sources and impaired fresh waters. For a given volume of media (called Bed Volumes), the greater the inflow concentration, the more frequently change outs and regenerations are needed.The HIX-Nano can be configured for point or non-point sources of pollutant nutrient overloads and has been successfully applied for impaired pond restoration at TP levels slightly greater than 100 ppb, which triggers algae growth; at levels “typical” of WWTP discharges - 1000 ppb; and, at Animal Feed Operations (AFOs) with wastewater concentrations greater than 10,000 ppb and even greater than 40,000 ppb TP. The pond example, the WWTP example and the AFO example cited are each based on bench top work in Rapid, Small-Scale Microcolumns (RSSMs) using representative wastewater samples.The HIX-Nano media is regenerable and regeneration is the key to nutrient recovery. The concept of removing vessels with spent media to a centralized regeneration center affords the opportunity to “export” captured nutrients from an impaired watershed from point or non-point sources within commuting distance of the regen center. Centralized regeneration centers also become distribution centers for concentrated liquid nutrient solution for resale outside the impaired watershed or in applications within the watershed that are not subject to runoff from Ag or Stormwater (i.e., hydroponics).In addition to “end of pipe” treatment, the application of HIX-Nano complements or supplements existing struvite, brushite precipitation based processes, as follows: (1) the residual, soluble reactive P effluent is captured and recovered/concentrated to produce custom liquid fertilizer solutions of varying N-P-K formulations or non-fertilizer products both of which much greater market value compared to slow-release, land applied solid fertilizer products (2) A regenerant solution of concentrated P (0-.28-X%K) is an excellent phosphorus feedstock for struvite, brushite type processes to make more slow release fertilizer product.Recent advances in the HIX-Nano formulation by inventor/patent and license holder, Lehigh, now make it possible to concurrently remove N-NO3 (nitrate) and phosphates. Studies at Lehigh University and elsewhere have confirmed that the HIX-Nanomaterials are extremely effective in capturing fluoride, nitrate and selenium because dissolved oxyanion/phosphorus/nitrate chemistry in the aqueous phase is very similar. Thus, total nutrient recovery and reuse is now possible using the new HIX-Nano resin alone or in a tandem treatment of “original” and “new” HIX formulations.In summary, a single treatment technology, HIX-Nano could now decrease selenium, arsenic, (if needed), phosphate and nitrate concurrently and raise the level of sustainability as never achieved before for nutrient recovery or clean-coal technologies by concentrating pollutant nutrients Nitrogen and Phosphorus for safe reuse by hydroponic or greenhouse growers. In essence, HIX is a transformative answer to pollutant nutrient management because it can Remove, Recovery, Reconcentrate, Reuse and Recycle soluble nutrients from diverse wastewaters.