This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

No abstract

No abstract

Removal of potentially harmful phosphorus compounds from wastewater by adsorption onto biosorbents is a cost-effective alternative to the conventional treatment methods. Raw peat and peat modified with iron(III) hydroxy ions were used in this study to remove phosphate ions from synthetic solution and household wastewater. Interaction of iron(III) ions with carboxylic groups of peat occurred during peat modification, which was confirmed by the FTIR technique. The effect of the initial phosphate concentration, pH, contact time, temperature, and ionic strength was studied in batch experiments. It was found that the sorption capacity increased with the increasing temperature, i.e. the maximum sorption capacity of the modified peat was 9.64 mg P/g at 2˚C and 11.53 mg P/g at 40˚C, respectively, indicating the endothermic nature of the sorption. Besides, the Langmuir equation was used to describe the sorption isotherms quantitatively. Given that the spent biosorbent did not exhibit phytotoxicity and the concentration of heavy metals did not exceed the limit values, the phosphate-saturated modified peat may be utilized as an organic fertilizer in agricultural land application.

No abstract