Phosphorus recovery from manure by thermochemical-biological process

Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plant and microbes, but excess concentration of phosphate will cause eutrophication. The phosphorus recovered by fungi in the form of polyphosphate-containing fungal biomass could be used as fertilizer. In order to avoid eutrophication and produce low cost phosphorus fertilizer, this study investigated the phosphorus recovery from manure by thermochemical-biological process. In the first step, orthophosphate was released by thermochemical pretreatment. The effects of pretreatment temperature, time, catalyst type and loading on orthophosphate release were studied. Then, a high phosphorus removal and storage fungi strain (Mucor circinelloides) was cultured in the pretreated manure to form biological phosphorus fertilizer. The factors that affect phosphorus removal and storage by fungi were studied.