PHOSPHORUS RECOVERY FOR ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE IN AMAZONIAN SOILS: ASSESSMENT OF THE FERTILIZER POTENTIAL OF STRUVITE DERIVED FROM AGROINDUSTRIAL EFFLUENT
Struvite precipitation, phosphorus, biofertilizers, environmental sustainability.
The efficient management of raw effluents from agroindustry, rich in macronutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), is crucial for mitigating environmental impacts. Among these nutrients, phosphorus plays a pivotal role in agricultural productivity, being an essential element for life and a key component of fertilizers. However, the increasing demand for this resource underscores the need for innovative phosphate recovery techniques. An outstanding method is the precipitation of moderately soluble salts, such as struvite (NH4MgPO4.6HO), formed by ammonium (NH4+), magnesium (Mg), and phosphate (PO4 3-) ions. This study aims to recover nutrients present in agroindustrial effluents through struvite synthesis, aiming at developing a biotechnological product with fertilizer function and conducting agronomic tests on representative Amazonian soil in a greenhouse setting. The methodology involves the chemical characterization of effluents, controlled struvite synthesis, and agronomic experiments to assess its performance as a fertilizer. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis results demonstrate the successful formation of high-quality struvite, while comparison with similar studies reveals the influence of molecular proportions on different precipitation phases. The study contributes to sustainable waste management, offering an eco-friendly approach to essential nutrient recovery and the development of biotechnological solutions.