Reclaiming Phosphorus with Magnets

Mar-29-14 By using superparamagentic particles, a team from Fraunhofer has developed a way to reclaim phosphorus from water—both cleaning the water and recovering the material for later use.

Phosphorus is a commonly used chemical in fertilizers, drinks and detergents, but it can also find its way into waterways and cause pollution. To tackle the challenge of reclaiming this valuable material while also reducing pollution, a team from Fraunhofer turned to superparamagnetic particles, which are non-magnetic particles that have been exposed to a magnetic field and then turn magnetic.

The researchers attached bonding sites for phosphorous to the particles, which attract the phosphate anions. The phosphate-laden particles can then be removed from the water with a magnet, allowing the phosphate to be reclaimed and leaving the water free of the pollutant.

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[GIZMAG.COM]
[FRAUNHOFER]

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