Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal

Learning targets

Strict discharge requirements apply to the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus in the effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP's). What knowledge do you need to remove or even recover these substances from wastewater?

In the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal course, you will learn various techniques and the necessary process conditions to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. You will also discover the interactions between different process conditions involved in this. You will gain insights into process and cost control, as well as the efficiency of different methods. Additionally, we will cover ways to recover phosphorus from wastewater.

With the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal course under your belt, you will be well-prepared to set up the corresponding processes at your wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) according to the latest standards.

The following topics are covered: 

• introduction to discharge regulations
• nitrogen removal (nitrogen balance, nitrification, denitrification, implementation forms)
• phosphorus removal (phosphorus balance, chemical and biological dephosphatation)
• treatment of nutrient-rich streams
• post-treatment (tertiary treatment)
• combined nitrogen and phosphorus removal
• practical examples

After completing this course, you will have the following knowledge & skills: 

• nitrogen and phosphorus removal processes
• control of nitrogen and phosphorus removal within the treatment plant
• efficiency of different techniques

Program

You will gain insight into the following topics related to nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater:

• basic principles of wastewater treatment
• nitrogen removal
• case studies
• chemical phosphorus removal
• biological phosphorus removal
• treatment of nutrient-rich streams
• post-treatment (tertiary treatment)
• process management combining nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal

Personal Contribution

At World Water Academy, it’s all about both knowledge and putting that knowledge into practice. Therefore, we expect each participant to bring their own work experience to the course. What challenges are you facing? And what experiences can you share that others can learn from?

Target group

The Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal course is intended for (process) operators in water treatment, process technicians, and management technicians who work for water boards and in industry.

Entry level

You should have a background in an intermediate vocational (MBO) or higher professional education (HBO) program. Additionally, we expect that you have completed the Advanced Wastewater Treatment Technology course with a final grade of 7.5 or higher. If you do not fully meet this requirement, the coordinator will contact you after you have registered. Together, you will discuss what is needed to successfully complete this course