Process & contact
Aquacare Europe BV
Website: BiOPhree®
Contact(s):
Updated 05/2026
Types of wastewater treated - Input flows – Implementation in sewage works
The process acts as standalone or add-on to remove P loads to 10 ppb.
The technique handles small and large flows, up to 100000 m3/h.
When used in tertiary or quaternary treatment stages, PCMF removes suspended solids (typically down to < 2–3 mg/l) and is highly effective in removing particulate phosphorus (< 0.05 mg/l). Dissolved phosphorus can also be removed when iron or aluminum salts are dosed upstream to precipitate phosphate.
Reagents – Energy - Output materials
The BioPhree process uses little energy and does not require extensive process control, by using a simple design. [***]
Process description – Phosphorus removal
This is done by means of absorption onto FeOOH granules, which are widely available for e.g. arsenate removal. The resin is regenerated with an alkaline medium, to give a P rich regenerate, which allows to separate out the phosphate component for reuse in the form of calcium phosphate.
Operating status
A pilot test in Dronten, the Netherlands in 2024-2025 with iron granules demonstrated a reduction of 0.9 g/l P in the effluent of the lcoal communal WWTP to 0.1 mg P/l. 88% of phosphate could be regenerated off the absorption medium with sodium hydroxide, which in itself could be reused by applying membrane separation to the regeneation fluid (ending up in the permeate), with the phosphate in the concentrate subsequently precuipitated with calcium.
A report is available from STOWA.