Filtration curtains for phosphorus harvesting from small water bodies

The reactive material (RM) Polonite® in the form of suspended filter (Suspended Reactive Filter, SRF) was used in the study. The experiment was carried in laboratory in hydraulic block of 1 m width and 2 m length. Three curtains consisted of eight suspended bags filled with the reactive material were used. The total mass of the reactive material was 1200 g per experiment. The ratio of the mass of the reactive material to the water volume in hydraulic block was 3:1 (g:dm3). The initial phosphorus concentrations were 1.439; 1.852; 2.384 and 3.012 mg P–PO4 dm−3 in different tests, corresponding to the polluted surface water in Poland. The results showed successive reduction of phosphorus from water in the time of experiment and number of cycles when water passed through the system of curtains of SRF. Regardless of the initial concentration, SRF decreased level of P–PO4 in solution of 0.517 ± 0.018 mg dm−3 at average. Base on the results, the nomogram supporting practical implementation of the RM Polonite® has been created for the estimation of the mass of the RM depending on the initial and desired final concentration of phosphorus in water.