Phosphorus removal from animal waste

Abstract

The subject invention is related to a method for removing bio-available phosphorus from animal waste and soil using an industrial byproduct from a metal manufacturing process. The byproduct is used to treat organic waste, such as animal waste and poultry litter, and immobilize bio-available phosphorus present in them. The byproduct is also used to treat organic waste to produce fertilizers, which are used to amend the soil and control the level of phosphorus present in the soil. The disclosed method strikes a balance between providing enough nutrients to the soil to grow crops, while preventing loss of phosphorus to surface water.

1 . A method for reducing an amount of bio-available phosphorus in an organic waste product, liquid wastewater or soil, comprising adding to the organic waste product, liquid wastewater or soil a composition or mixture comprising a byproduct from an industrial metal manufacturing process in an amount sufficient to immobilize some or all of the phosphorus present in the organic waste product, liquid wastewater or soil.  
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the byproduct is from a transition metal manufacturing process.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the byproduct is from a titanium dioxide manufacturing process.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the byproduct is secondary waste acid neutralization gypsum or iron oxide filter cake.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said organic waste product is animal waste.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said animal waste is poultry litter.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the byproduct is an aggregate of byproducts obtained through completion of the metal manufacturing process.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition comprises a precipitate from liquid wastewater treated with said byproduct.  
     
     
         9 . A method for improving water quality of surface-, subsurface-, or ground-water by reducing the amount of soluble phosphorus in a soil from which said water originates, comprising amending the soil surface to include a mixture comprising a byproduct from industrial metal manufacturing process.  
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the byproduct is from a transition metal manufacturing process.  
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the byproduct is from a titanium dioxide manufacturing process  
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the byproduct is secondary waste acid neutralization gypsum or filter cake.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein said organic waste product is animal waste.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein said animal waste is poultry litter.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the byproduct is an aggregate of byproducts obtained through completion of the metal manufacturing process.  
     
     
         16 . A method for controlling the growth of an organism in a body of water to which surface-, subsurface-, or gound-water flows, by reducing an amount of soluble phosphorus in a soil from which said water originates, comprising amending a soil surface to include a mixture comprising a byproduct from an industrial metal refining process.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the byproduct is from a transition metal manufacturing process.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the byproduct is from a titanium dioxide manufacturing process.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the byproduct is secondary waste acid neutralization gypsum or filter cake.  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said organic waste product is animal waste.  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20 , wherein said animal waste is poultry litter.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said organism is  Pfiesteria.    
     
     
         23 . A method for optimizing crop yield and phosphorus content in a soil, comprising: 
 i) determining the amount bio-available phosphorus present in the soil; and    ii) if the amount of phosphorus determined in step i) is too high and it is desired to control the phosphorus content, an organic waste that has been amended with a phosphorus immobilizing amount of a byproduct of an industrial metal manufacturing process, is added to the soil thereby keeping nitrogen content in the organic waste sufficient to fertilize the crop, but controls the amount of bio-available phosphorus in the soil.