Sediment Remediation with New Composite Sorbent Amendments to Sequester Phosphorus, Organic Contaminants, and Metals.

This study tested two sediment amendments with active sorbents: injection of aluminum (Al) into sediments and thin-layer capping with Polonite (calcium-silicate), with and without the addition of activated carbon (AC), for their simultaneous sequestration of sediment phosphorus (P), hydrophobic organic contaminants (HOCs), and metals. Sediment cores were collected from a eutrophic and polluted brackish water bay in Sweden and incubated in the laboratory to measure sediment-to-water contaminant release and effects on biogeochemical processes. We used diffusive gradients in thin-film passive samplers for metals and semi-permeable membrane devices for the HOC polychlorinated biphenyls and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Al injection into anoxic sediments completely stopped the release of P and reduced the release of cadmium (Cd, -97%) and zinc (Zn, -95%) but increased the sediment fluxes of PAH (+49%), compared to the untreated sediment. Polonite mixed with AC reduced the release of P (-70%), Cd (-67%), and Zn (-89%) but increased methane (CH4) release. Adding AC to the Al or Polonite reduced the release of HOCs by 40% in both treatments. These results not only demonstrate the potential of innovative remediation techniques using composite sorbent amendments but also highlight the need to assess possible ecological side effects on, for example, sedimentary microbial processes.

Evaluation of five filter media in column experiment on the removal of selected organic micropollutants and phosphorus from household wastewater.

A bench-scale column experiment was performed to study the removal of 31 selected organic micropollutants (MPs) and phosphorus by lignite, xyloid lignite (Xylit), granular activated carbon (GAC), Polonite® and sand over a period of 12 weeks. In total 29 out of the 31 MPs showed removal efficiency >90% by GAC with an average removal of 97 ±â€¯6%. Xylit and lignite were less efficient with an average removal of 80 ±â€¯28% and 68 ±â€¯29%, respectively. The removal efficiency was found to be impacted by the characterization of the sorbents and physicochemical properties of the compounds, as well as the interaction between the sorbents and compounds. For instance, Xylit and lignite performed well for relatively hydrophobic (log octanol/water partition coefficient (Kow) ≥3) MPs, while the removal efficiency of moderately hydrophilic, highly hydrophilic and negatively charged MPs were lower. The organic sorbents were found to have more functional groups at their surfaces, which might explain the higher adsorption of MPs to these sorbents. The removal of several MPs improved after four weeks in sand, Xylit, GAC and lignite which may be related to increased biological activity and biofilm development. GAC and sand had limited ability to remove phosphorus (12 ±â€¯27% and 14 ±â€¯2%, respectively), while the calcium-silicate material Polonite® precipitated phosphorus efficiently and increased the total phosphorus removal from 12% to 96% after the GAC filter.

Sequential UASB and dual media packed-bed reactors for domestic wastewater treatment - experiment and simulation.

A wastewater treatment system composed of an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor followed by a packed-bed reactor (PBR) filled with Sorbulite(®) and Polonite(®) filter material was tested in a laboratory bench-scale experiment. The system was operated for 50 weeks and achieved very efficient total phosphorus (P) removal (99%), 7-day biochemical oxygen demand removal (99%) and pathogenic bacteria reduction (99%). However, total nitrogen was only moderately reduced in the system (40%). A model focusing on simulation of organic material, solids and size of granules was then implemented and validated for the UASB reactor. Good agreement between the simulated and measured results demonstrated the capacity of the model to predict the behaviour of solids and chemical oxygen demand, which is critical for successful P removal and recovery in the PBR.

A model to describe the performance of the UASB reactor.

A dynamic model to describe the performance of the Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) reactor was developed. It includes dispersion, advection, and reaction terms, as well as the resistances through which the substrate passes before its biotransformation. The UASB reactor is viewed as several continuous stirred tank reactors connected in series. The good agreement between experimental and simulated results shows that the model is able to predict the performance of the UASB reactor (i.e. substrate concentration, biomass concentration, granule size, and height of the sludge bed).

Assessment of the calcium-silicate Polonite as a sorbent for thin-layer capping of metal contaminated sediment.

Sediments contaminated with hazardous metals pose risks to humans and wildlife, yet viable management options are scarce. In a series of laboratory experiments, we characterized Polonite® - an activated calcium-silicate - as a novel sorbent for thin-layer capping of metal-contaminated sediments. We tested a fine-grained by-product from the Polonite production as a cheap and sustainable sorbent. First, Polonite was reacted with solutions of Cu, Pb, and Zn, and the surface chemistry of the Polonite was examined using, e.g., scanning electron microscopy to investigate metal sorption mechanisms. Batch experiments were conducted by adding Polonite to industrially contaminated harbor sediment to determine sorption kinetics and isotherms. Importantly, we measured if the Polonite could reduce metal bioavailability to sediment fauna by performing digestive fluid extraction (DFE). Finally, a cap placement technique was studied by applying a Polonite slurry in sedimentation columns. The results showed rapid metal sorption to Polonite via several mechanisms, including hydroxide and carbonate precipitation, and complexation with metal oxides on the Polonite surface. Isotherm data revealed that the sediment uptake capacity (Kf) for Cu, Pb, and Zn increased by a factor of 25, 21, and 14, respectively, after addition of 5% Polonite. The bioavailability of Cu, Pb, and Zn was reduced by 70%, 65%, and 54%, respectively, after a 25% Polonite addition. In conclusion, we propose that sediment treatment with low doses of the Polonite by-product can be a cheap, sustainable, and effective remediation method compared to other more intrusive methods such as dredging or conventional isolation capping.

Long-term phosphorus sorption and leaching in sand filters for onsite treatment systems.

The sorption capacities of sand filters used for onsite wastewater treatment and their associated risks of phosphorus (P) leaching on contact with rainwater were investigated in column experiments and with modelling tool for over 300 days. Columns packed with sand were exposed to real domestic wastewater of different characteristics and hydraulic loading modes. The wastewater fed into the columns was effluent collected from three different treatment units in the field: a septic tank (ST), biofiltration tank (BF) and Polonite® filter bag (PO). The risk of P leaching to groundwater and surface water was also assessed, by exposing the same sand columns to natural rainwater. Overall results indicated that sand soils can exhibit different adsorption and desorption capacities for electrical conductivity (EC), Total-P, phosphate-P and total suspended solids, depending on the characteristics of influent wastewater, loading rate and total operation time. The removal efficiencies of the sand columns increased in the order ST (98.16%) > PO (93.36%) > BF (81.57%) for PO4-P and slightly decreased ST (97.11%) > PO (92.06%) > BF (76.76%) for Total-P columns. All sand columns loaded with actual wastewater solutions from septic tanks and biofiltration tank have demonstrated high risks of phosphorus leaching (>99.99%) to the groundwater. The modelling was successful captured behavior of EC tracer and adsorption of PO4-P with acceptable prediction uncertainty in the PO < 8% columns. The modelling results indicated that the decrease of loading rate from 83.3 mL d-1 to 20.83 mL d-1 led to an average increase of removal efficiency and prolong operational lifetime and mass of adsorbed Total-P in the sand soil. This study concludes that sand is a valuable filter medium at low loading rate for phosphorus removal in full-scale operations of onsite treatment systems, however very vulnerable for leaching P when in contact with rainwater.

Phosphorus sorption capacity of filter materials used for on-site wastewater treatment determined in batch experiments-a comparative study.

Increasing numbers of filter materials have been proposed as suitable media for P removal in on-site wastewater treatment systems. The phosphorus sorption capacity (PSC) of the material can be estimated in batch experiments and is commonly used as the criterion for material selection. However, there is no standard procedure and batch experimental parameters are arbitrarily established, thus leading to difficulties in comparing the results. The main parameters affecting the batch adsorption system are the form and amount of material, material-to-solution ratio, nature, pH and initial concentration of P solution, contact time, agitation, and temperature. This paper critically reviews a number of relevant studies that used batch experiments to estimate the PSC of different filter materials. The nature and form of the materials vary significantly and there is broad variation in the batch experimental parameters set in the selected studies. Analysis of the data from selected studies showed a relationship between particle size or pH of the material and its PSC. The initial P concentration of the solution and the material-to-solution ratio in the batch system were found to be correlated with the estimated PSC, suggesting that batch parameters have a great influence on the results. Based on the analysis of the selected studies, the difficulties of using batch experiments are outlined, recommendations for batch experiment procedure are suggested and a classification system for filter materials according to their PSC and particle size is presented.

Leachability and plant-availability of phosphorus in post-sorption wastewater filters fortified with biochar.

Sand and gravel are widely applied for filtering pre- or primary-treated wastewater in small-scale wastewater treatment (SWT) systems. However, ecological materials continue to attract increasing interest in use as retrofits for achieving better performance in removing dissolved contaminants and recovering nutrients from wastewater. In this study, we assessed the plant availability and leachability of phosphorus (P) from sand (Sa) and gas concrete (GC) media previously fortified with biochar (BC) and used for phosphorus (P) removal in laboratory-scale packed bed reactors and field-scale constructed filter beds. Batch and leaching experiments were conducted, with distilled water and ammonium lactate (AL) solutions (1:20 solid-liquid (w/v) ratio) applied as extractants. In the findings, reference (Sa) and fortified (Sa-BC) sand filters leached 11.2 and 20.5 mg P kg-1 respectively, to percolating water while the P seemed less likely to leach from GC systems. Extraction with AL showed that P retained in GC was plant-available and that GC could release up to 90 mg kg-1 of the bound mass. These findings highlight the need to evaluate risks of nutrient leaching from filter media for SWT systems especially where groundwater and surface water are final recipients of such effluents. For greater sustainability of use of the media, the weakly bound P in media such as Sa and BC and strongly bound in media such as GC types of materials may be recovered by recycling the spent material to agriculture. However, this may require re-design of the treatment system especially with respect to particle size to make recycling technically feasible.

Comprehensive assessment of organic contaminant removal from on-site sewage treatment facility effluent by char-fortified filter beds.

To remove organic contaminants from wastewater using cost-efficient and currently existing methods, our study investigated char-fortified filter beds for on-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs) in a long-term field setting. OSSFs are commonly used in rural and semi-urban areas worldwide to treat wastewater when municipal wastewater treatment is not economically feasible. First, we screened for organic contaminants with gas chromatography and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry-based targeted and untargeted analysis and then we developed quantitative structure-property relationship models to search for key molecular features responsible for the removal of organic contaminants. We identified 74 compounds (24 confirmed by reference standards) including plasticizers, UV stabilizers, fragrances, pesticides, surfactant and polymer impurities, pharmaceuticals and their metabolites, and many biogenic compounds. Sand filters that are used as a secondary step after the septic tank in OSSFs could remove hydrophobic contaminants. The addition of biochar significantly increased the removal of these and a few hydrophilic compounds (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, α = 0.05). Besides hydrophobicity-driven sorption, biodegradation was suggested to be the most important removal pathway in this long-term field application. However, further improvements are necessary to remove very hydrophilic contaminants as they were not removed with sand and biochar-fortified sand.

Phosphate removal by mineral-based sorbents used in filters for small-scale wastewater treatment.

The mineral-based sorbents Filtra P, Polonite, natural wollastonite and water-cooled blast furnace slag (WCBFS) were studied in terms of their PO(4) removal performance. Results from a long-term column experiment showed that both Filtra P and Polonite removed >95% of PO(4) from the applied synthetic solution, and that the used filter materials had accumulated several (1.9-19) g kg(-1)P. Phosphorus was removed also by natural wollastonite and WCBFS, but these materials were less efficient. Batch experiments on the used materials showed that the solubility PO(4) was considerably larger than the one expected for crystalline Ca phosphates such as hydroxyapatite, and results from investigations with attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) on the Filtra P material showed that the formed P phase was not crystalline. These evidence suggest that a soluble amorphous tricalcium phosphate (ATCP) was formed in the mineral-based sorbents; the apparent solubility constant on dissolution was estimated to log K(s)=-27.94 (+/-0.31) at 21 degrees C. However, since only up to 18% of the accumulated PO(4) was readily dissolved in the experiments, it cannot be excluded that part of the phosphorus had crystallized to slightly less soluble phases. In conclusion, Filtra P and Polonite are two promising mineral-based sorbents for phosphorus removal, and at least part of the accumulated phosphorus is present in a soluble form, readily available to plants.

Effect of reactive substrates used for the removal of phosphorus from wastewater on the fertility of acid soils.

Reactive substrates used in filter systems can reduce phosphorus (P) pollution and, once saturated with P, may be recycled in agriculture. These substrates are usually calcium carbonate derivates with high pH values, which may be particularly beneficial for acid soils. Three reactive substrates (Filtra P, Polonite and wollastonite) saturated with P were used as amendments to an acid soil in a pot experiment. Substrate amendments tended to improve ryegrass yield and P uptake compared with control and potassium phosphate treatments. Polonite produced the highest yield/amendment ratio, while Polonite and Filtra P significantly increased the concentrations of P and Ca in the ryegrass. Addition of all three substrates increased the pH, AL-extractable P and cation exchange capacity of soils during the experiment. These substrates can therefore be applied to acid soils in order to recycle P and improve soil properties.

Dual slag filters for enhanced phosphorus removal from domestic waste water: performance and mechanisms.

The phosphorus (P) removal of five combinations of dual filters consisting of blast furnace slag (BFS), argon oxygen decarburisation slag (AOD) and electric arc furnace slag (EAF) was evaluated in column experiments with domestic waste water. The columns were fed with waste water for 24 days. The column with only EAF had the best P removal performance (above 93% throughout the experiment). The speciation of the bound P was evaluated by P K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. In all five columns, the main P species of the slag packed in the outlet chamber was amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). In samples from the inlet chambers, the contributions from crystalline Ca phosphates, P adsorbed on gibbsite and P adsorbed on ferrihydrite were usually much greater, suggesting a shift of P removal mechanism as the waste water travelled from the inlet to the outlet. The results provide strong evidence that P was predominantly removed by the slags through the formation of ACP. However, as the pH decreased with time due to the progressively lower dissolution of alkaline silicate minerals from the slag, the ACP was rendered unstable and hence redissolved, changing the P speciation. It is suggested that this process strongly affected the lifespan of the slag filters. Of the slags examined, EAF slag had the best P removal characteristics and BFS the worst, which probably reflected different dissolution rates of alkaline silicates in the slags.

Removal of pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl substances and other micropollutants from wastewater using lignite, Xylit, sand, granular activated carbon (GAC) and GAC+Polonite® in column tests - Role of physicochemical properties.

This study evaluated the performance of five different sorbents (granular activated carbon (GAC), GAC + Polonite® (GAC + P), Xylit, lignite and sand) for a set of 83 micropollutants (MPs) (pharmaceuticals, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), personal care products, artificial sweeteners, parabens, pesticide, stimulants), together representing a wide range of physicochemical properties. Treatment with GAC and GAC + P provided the highest removal efficiencies, with average values above 97%. Removal rates were generally lower for Xylit (on average 74%) and lignite (on average 68%), although they proved to be highly efficient for a few individual MPs. The average removal efficiency for sand was only 47%. It was observed that the MPs behaved differently depending on their physicochemical properties. The physicochemical properties of PFASs (i.e. molecular weight, topological molecular surface area, log octanol water partition coefficient (Kow) and distribution coefficient between octanol and water (log D)) were positively correlated to observed removal efficiency for the sorbents Xylit, lignite and sand (p < 0.05), indicating a strong influence of perfluorocarbon chain length and associated hydrophobic characteristics. In contrast, for the other MPs the ratio between apolar and polar surface area (SA/SP) was positively correlated with the removal efficiency, indicating that hydrophobic adsorption may be a key feature of their sorption mechanisms. GAC showed to be the most promising filter medium to improve the removal of MPs in on-site sewage treatment facilities. However, more studies are needed to evaluate the removal of MPs in field trials.

Phosphorus removal from UASB reactor effluent by reactive media filtration.

The phosphorus (P) and BOD7 removal performance of an upflow packed bed reactor (PBR) filled with two reactive filter media was studied over 50 weeks. The lower one-fifth of the reactor was filled with calcium-silicate-hydrate (Sorbulite®) and the upper four-fifth with calcium-silicate (Polonite®). A laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic sludge bed reactor (UASB) delivered wastewater to the PBR. A model was developed to describe the gradient in P concentration change in the reactor, based on reaction kinetics. The reaction terms were assumed to follow the Langmuir isotherm, based on the results obtained in a batch test. First, a comparison was made between experimental and simulated results. The capability of the model to forecast P removal capacity was then tested for three hypothetical cases: (i) reactor filled with Sorbulite and Polonite, (ii) reactor filled with only Sorbulite, and (iii) reactor filled with only Polonite. Finally, a sensitivity analysis was performed for the main parameters in the model. The average removal of P and BOD7 from the UASB effluent was 98% and 90%, respectively. The starting pH of the dual-medium effluent was 12.2 and decreased gradually over time to 11.1. The simulation both overestimated and underestimated mean measured P removal but was within the range of maximum and minimum measured values. The hypothetical cases revealed that most P was removed by Polonite due to calcium phosphate precipitation. The removal capacity of the two filter materials and their layer height in the reactor were the most sensitive parameters in the simulation.

Non-target screening and prioritization of potentially persistent, bioaccumulating and toxic domestic wastewater contaminants and their removal in on-site and large-scale sewage treatment plants.

On-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs), which are used to reduce nutrient emissions in rural areas, were screened for anthropogenic compounds with two-dimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS). The detected compounds were prioritized based on their persistence, bioaccumulation, ecotoxicity, removal efficiency, and concentrations. This comprehensive prioritization strategy, which was used for the first time on OSSF samples, ranked galaxolide, α-tocopheryl acetate, octocrylene, 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol, several chlorinated organophosphorus flame retardants and linear alkyl benzenes as the most relevant compounds being emitted from OSSFs. Twenty-six target analytes were then selected for further removal efficiency analysis, including compounds from the priority list along with substances from the same chemical classes, and a few reference compounds. We found significantly better removal of two polar contaminants 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol (p=0.0003) and tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (p=0.005) in soil beds, a common type of OSSF in Sweden, compared with conventional sewage treatment plants. We also report median removal efficiencies in OSSFs for compounds not studied in this context before, viz. α-tocopheryl acetate (96%), benzophenone (83%), 2-(methylthio)benzothiazole (64%), 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol (33%), and a range of organophosphorus flame retardants (19% to 98%). The environmental load of the top prioritized compounds in soil bed effluents were in the thousands of nanogram per liter range, viz. 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyn-4,7-diol (3000ngL-1), galaxolide (1400ngL-1), octocrylene (1200ngL-1), and α-tocopheryl acetate (660ngL-1).

Screening and prioritization of micropollutants in wastewaters from on-site sewage treatment facilities.

A comprehensive screening of micropollutants was performed in wastewaters from on-site sewage treatment facilities (OSSFs) and urban wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Sweden. A suspect screening approach, using high resolution mass spectrometry, was developed and used in combination with target analysis. With this strategy, a total number of 79 micropollutants were successfully identified, which belong to the groups of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), pesticides, phosphorus-containing flame retardants (PFRs) and pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs). Results from this screening indicate that concentrations of micropollutants are similar in influents and effluents of OSSFs and WWTPs, respectively. Removal efficiencies of micropollutants were assessed in the OSSFs and compared with those observed in WWTPs. In general, removal of PFASs and PFRs was higher in package treatment OSSFs, which are based on biological treatments, while removal of PPCPs was more efficient in soil bed OSSFs. A novel comprehensive prioritization strategy was then developed to identify OSSF specific chemicals of environmental relevance. The strategy was based on the compound concentrations in the wastewater, removal efficiency, frequency of detection in OSSFs and on in silico based data for toxicity, persistency and bioaccumulation potential.

Phosphorus retention in filter materials for wastewater treatment and its subsequent suitability for plant production.

Constructed sand filter beds are advantageous for the treatment of wastewater in areas with a low population density. Phosphorus-sorbing materials with additional beneficial characteristics may be used instead of sand. This study aimed at determining and comparing phosphorus (P) retention capacities of amorphous and crystalline blast furnace slags, limestone, opoka, Polonite and sand, for filtering domestic wastewater through columns over a period of 67 weeks. The P-enriched filter materials were subsequently tested for their fertilizer effectiveness in a pot experiment where barley was cultivated. Polonite, i.e. calcinated bedrock opoka, was most effective in removing P. This occurred at a relatively high hydraulic conductivity that reduced the risk of clogging. Barley grown in two types of slag, with a grain size of 0.25-4 mm, was most effective in dry matter production followed by Polonite. Fine-grained slags and Polonite were suggested as most suited of the investigated materials to recycle P back to agriculture.

Phosphorus removal from wastewater by field-scale fortified filter beds during a one-year study.

Due to low availability of alternative technologies, rural communities are unable to comply with national wastewater discharge limits. This study tested the effectiveness of filter bed fortification with biochar on phosphorus removal. Water-tight down-flow beds of sand and gas concrete, constructed alongside a reference sand bed (all 0.8 m deep and 0.75 m(2) surface area), were topped with a 0.2 m biochar layer. Pre-treated domestic wastewater with mean concentrations of 6.4 mg/L [Formula: see text] and 142.6 NTU, was infiltrated at 4 cm/d hydraulic loading rate. Ultimately, the biochar-sand was relatively outstanding in turbidity reduction, achieving <5 NTU. The biochar-gas concrete exhibited superior performance in [Formula: see text] removal, trapping 32.3 g (40.2%), compared with 20.5 g (25.6%) and 15.5 g (19.3%) by biochar-sand and reference bed respectively. However, statistical analysis revealed a weak correlation between pH and biochar-gas concrete removal efficiency (r(2 )= 0.2). The relationship was stronger for biochar-sand [Formula: see text] (r(2 )= 0.5) than reference (r(2 )= 0.4) bed. Paired samples t-tests showed that incorporating biochar into the sand bed significantly (p = .04) improved its [Formula: see text] removal efficiency. In conclusion, sand bed fortification with biochar could be an important measure for improving P removal and wastewater clarification efficiency.

Phosphorus removal performance and speciation in virgin and modified argon oxygen decarburisation slag designed for wastewater treatment.

Argon oxygen decarburisation (AOD) slag may be used for phosphorus (P) removal, as its high pH and weatherable calcium (Ca) minerals provide sufficient Ca(2+) and OH(-) for calcium phosphate (Ca-PO4) precipitation. This study examined the P removal performance of AOD slag for use as wastewater treatment material. Batch experiments were carried out using both synthetic P solution and real wastewater, followed by chemical modelling and X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The influences of initial P concentration, slag dose and modification by polyethylene glycol (PEG), an effective agent for generation of porous materials, were investigated to determine the optimal conditions for P removal by AOD slag. It was found that virgin AOD slag removed 94.8% of P from a synthetic P solution in 4 h and 97.8% in 10 h. This high P removal was accompanied by a rapid increase in pH from 7.0 to 10.74. The maximum P removal capacity (PRC) from synthetic P solution ranged from 1.3 to 27.5 mg P g(-1). The optimal AOD dose for P removal from wastewater, determined in 8-h batch experiments, was 25 g L(-1). PEG modification increased the reaction rate and resulted in higher final pH, increasing PRC by 47.9%. Combined Visual MINTEQ and XANES analysis for detailed examination of P removal mechanisms revealed that the main P removal mechanism was precipitation of calcium phosphate. According to the XANES analysis, the main Ca-PO4 precipitate formed on virgin AOD slag under low initial P concentration and high pH was apatite, while brushite was the dominant product at high initial P concentration and low pH.

Phosphorus in soil treatment systems: accumulation and mobility.

Septic tanks with subsequent soil treatment systems (STS) are a common treatment technique for domestic wastewater in rural areas. Phosphorus (P) leakage from such systems may pose a risk to water quality (especially if they are located relatively close to surface waters). In this study, six STS in Sweden (11-28 years old) were examined. Samples taken from the unsaturated subsoil beneath the distribution pipes were investigated by means of batch and column experiments, and accumulated phosphorus were characterized through X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analysis. At all sites the wastewater had clearly influenced the soil. This was observed through decreased pH, increased amounts of oxalate extractable metals and at some sites altered P sorption properties. The amount of accumulated P in the STS were found to be between 0.32 and 0.87 kg m(-3), which in most cases was just a fraction of the estimated P load (<30%). Column studies revealed that high P concentrations (up to 6 mg L(-1)) were leached from the material when deionized water was applied. However, the response to deionized water varied between the sites. As evidenced by XANES analysis, aluminium phosphates or P adsorbed to aluminium (hydr)oxides, as well as organically bound P, were important sinks for P. Generally soils with a high content of oxalate-extractable Al were also less vulnerable to P leakage.