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Ammonia Problems |
Freshwater has become one of the scarcest commodities available, with in excess of one billion people each day unable to access clean water to drink. One of the key water pollutants is ammonia. Ammonia/ammonium species are problematic in that they not only act as a nutrient and promote algal growth but they are also a cell toxicant, irritant and produce noxious odours. As a result, there exists strict legislation in many countries which limits the discharge of ammonia species and the associated ammonium ion into surface waters. Removal of ammonia is traditionally performed by biological nutrient removal (BNR). However, this process requires a very stable environment and is therefore very inflexible to variations in temperature, effluent concentration and flow rate. Alternative technology solutions should be environmentally friendly, economically viable and sustainable. These latter criteria indicate that ammonia should be recovered with the possibility of reuse. |
In addition, limited waste products can be generated and the demands on land area should be minimised. A physical process for ammonia remediation is the optimum approach. The NanoChem ion-exchange process employs a physical ammonia/ammonium removal technology. The NanoChem ion-exchange process is comparatively simple, robust, compact and inexpensive. Once the NanoChem ion exchange media is saturated with ammonium ions, the material can then be regenerated to recover a concentrated ammonium solution and restore the NanoChem ion exchange media to the fully active state. When the NanoChem ion exchange material is ready for disposal it has a value as a fertilizer extender. Incorporation of NanoChem Zeolite into soil : reduces the loss of nitrogen through excessive leaching to the water table ; promotes absorption of significant quantities of water thus minimising the need for irrigation and releases adsorbed ammonium ions on the NanoChem Zeolite to plants as required. |