Controllable and selective fluoride precipitation from phosphate-rich wastewater

Industrial wastewater containing high levels of fluoride and phosphate poses significant environmental challenges and results in the waste of non-renewable resources. This study investigates the use of La(OH) 3 as a precipitating agent to selectively remove and separate fluoride from phosphate in such wastewater. The findings indicate that fluoride removal efficiency is highly dependent on the pH level and La(OH) 3 dosage. Using Response Surface Methodology, the optimal conditions for fluoride precipitation were identified as a pH range of 1.0 to 2.5, a reaction time of 60–80 min, a La/3F molar ratio of 2.0, and reaction temperature of 25 °C. Under these parameters, the fluoride removal efficiency exceeded 96.9 %, while phosphate removal remained around 7.2 %. Further Density Functional Theory calculations and characterization confirmed La(OH) 3 has a strong affinity for fluoride than phosphate under acidic conditions, leading to the formation of a LaF 3 precipitate without forming LaPO 4 , effectively separating fluoride from phosphate. These results demonstrate an efficient strategy for treating wastewater with high fluoride and phosphate content, enabling the selective precipitation and recovery of these elements for sustainable management.