Conversion of phosphorus to phosphine by microbial deoxidization under anaerobic conditions

Abstract:

[Objective] Conversion of phosphorus to phosphine, a gaseous form of phosphorus, has the potential to remove phosphorus from wastewater. [Methods] Incubator was kept anaerobically for 160 days, with paddy soil as inoculum that was treated either with phosphine without phosphine, under the condition ORP≤?300 mV, 35 °C and in dark. [Results] In incubator 1, total phosphorus removal in the effluent reached 25%, with the highest rate of 26.8%, and the gas phosphine output was above130 ng/L; and in incubator 2, total phosphorus removal in the effluent reached 23% with gas phosphine output of 126 ng/L. [Conclusion] Microorganisms from paddy soil can form a stable system to produce phosphine from phosphorus under anaerobic conditions to remove phosphorus contamination in soils.