What is Polonite® ?
Reactive filter media Polonite®
Polonite® is a filter media with a high and proven ability to capture phosphorus. It is based upon a natural mineral, Opoka, that has historically been used for e.g. for building houses. Polonite® is a filter media with a high and proven ability to capture phosphorus. Nothing is added, and nothing is removed, from the Opoka. In the next step Opoka is heated, crushed and sieved to be transformed to Polonite®. The result is a media with excellent capabilities of capturing phosphorus from both sewage water, and e.g. runoff water from farmlands. Capturing phosphorus is essential, but equally essential is that Polonite® also fulfils the important function of recycling this vital, but scarce, nutrient by recycling it to productive farmlands.
Raw Opoka deposits before processing
Capturing phosphorus is essential, but equally essential is that Polonite® also fulfils the important function of recycling this vital, but scarce, nutrient by recycling it to productive farmlands. As an example, Polonite® achieves a phosphorus reduction of close to 100% in sewage water with new Polonite® media and at least 90% if employed for a longer period* of time. The function is proven by over 20 years of research at The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH) and through over 8000 installed filter solutions.
Owing to its large surface area in combination with a high pH, Polonite also possesses excellent bacterial reduction abilities. 500 kg of Polonite® is comparable to 40 tons of regular sand in terms of surface area. Polonite® also has biofilm and is high in pH, which reduces bacterial count. Tests have shown an initial elimination of 99,9% of E-coli and coliforms. Additionally, the high pH in the treated outgoing water prevents acidification of the surrounding environment.
After a brief period of drying in the air, saturated Polonite® can be used as an excellent fertilizer without further after-treatment. The captured phosphorus is slowly released – at the same pace plants absorb phosphorus (compared to the chemical flocculants). Furthermore, the filters also contain calcium and silicon, which are important nutrients for soil and plants.
Saturated Polonite® from treatment plants does not contain any quicksilver, cadmium, and minimum bacteria and can be distributed directly on farmlands easily with traditional tools and spreaders. The dosage depends on the conditions of the soil.
The phosphorus reduction depends mainly on the cumulative water flow, but also the phosphorus concentration in the water. A Polonite® filter is normally constructed to uphold a high reduction during a period of 2-4 years. The reduction pace decreases slowly during the filter’s life cycle.
Saturated Polonite
Polonite® the natural choice
A natural occurring mineral treated to enhance its capabilities.
- Used mainly for phosphorus reduction in wastewater treatment plants and facilities.
- Saturated Polonite® can be distributed in the soil without any after-treatment and recycles phosphorus by returning it to plants.
- Strong capability to reduce bacteria and odour.
Application areas
- Phosphorus reduction in both small and large wastewater treatment plants
- Phosphorus reduction in runoff water from farmland and industries
- Fertilizer and calcium source for productive soil.
Components in % of weight in dry condition:
| SiO2 | 40,2 |
| CaO | 42,6 |
| MgO | 0,7 |
| AI2O | 4,3 |
| Fe2O | 1,9 |
| K2O | 0,7 |
| Na2O | 0,1 |
| Total (Sum) | 90,5 |
Components in Polonite®:
| Size of pellets | 2-6 mm |
| Adsorption capability P | up to 12% * |
| Porosity | 45% |
| Dry density | 730g/dm3 |
| Initial pH | >12 |
* Theoretical biding. Depends on design and usage.
Safety
For safety please refer to the MSDS (link).
Phosphorus is a scarce resource required for life on earth
- we need to take better care of it!
Is our society taking the phosphorus challenge seriously enough?
Are we retrieving phosphorus for recycling, are we just purifying the water, or even worse: are we just hiding the problem away, pretending Retention is the same as purification and that eutrophication is not a real threat?
A reflection: Some people tends to think Climate Change is somebody else’s problem. ‘My possible contribution to reducing global CO2 footprint is so negligible, so I leave it to someone else – the politicians, my neighbors… – to handle the problem’. Do we see the same attitude to the phosphorus challenge?
Read more here about the difference between Retention, Purification and Retrieval.
