LAUSR

Abstract Severe water pollution caused by excessive emissions of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) into water bodies is a significant concern worldwide. In the present study, we synthesized a novel nano composite, nano-CaO 2 @clinoptilolite, for the simultaneous removal of P, COD, and N from sewage. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to characterize the crystalline composition of the nano composite and confirm the presence of CaO 2 . The spatial distribution of nano CaO 2 particles and the microtopography of nano-CaO 2 @clinoptilolite were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. P uptake analysis indicated that nano-CaO 2 @clinoptilolite was highly effective for P removal over a wide pH range of 7.0–11.0, and that phosphate precipitation induced by the solubilization of Ca 2+ from CaO 2 was determined to be the main mechanism of P removal. In addition, simultaneous P, COD, and N removal efficiencies of 50.4, 74.7, and 80.7%, respectively, were obtained when nano-CaO 2 @clinoptilolite was applied to sewage samples. The realization of synergistic peroxidation, adsorption, and precipitation by nano-CaO 2 @clinoptilolite provides a novel insight into the high-efficiency purification of sewage.