LaNova

Success Stories

Problems solved,
not products sold.

American Rare Earths

A few of the wastewater challenges we've worked through alongside our clients — the consultative approach and proprietary chemistry behind each result. Details are anonymized to protect confidentiality.

Independent Engineering FirmJacobs Engineering Group Inc.

01

Municipal WWTP · Phosphorus Removal

San Marcos River Road Wastewater Treatment Plant · San Marcos, Texas

Challenge

Jacobs Engineering engaged Scott Frazier to evaluate whether rare earth chemistry could outperform conventional ferric coagulation for phosphorus removal at both the headworks and secondary clarifier of the San Marcos WWTP. The plant needed a more efficient path to low-effluent phosphorus without the solids and alkalinity burden that comes with ferric treatment.

Approach

Scott conducted bench-scale jar testing at equivalent dosages (40 and 80 mg/L) using actual plant wastewater samples from two representative treatment locations — primary headworks and secondary clarifier — comparing orthophosphate residuals between rare earth and ferric chemistry side by side.

Solution

At 40 mg/L, rare earth achieved 0.19 mg/L orthophosphate in the secondary clarifier versus 0.37 mg/L for ferric — a ~49% advantage. Comparable results were achieved at half the ferric dose. Downstream benefits include lower alkalinity demand, reduced inorganic solids, improved sludge dewaterability, and lower centrate phosphorus recycle.

locationdosereferricnote
Primary (Headworks)404.95.6~12.5% lower
Primary (Headworks)803.74.2~12% lower
Secondary Clarifier400.190.37~49% lower (significant)
Secondary Clarifier800.160.16Comparable performance

Orthophosphate (PO₄-P) mg/L · bench-scale testing on plant wastewater samples

~49%

Lower effluent P vs. ferric (secondary clarifier)

½ dose

Rare earth matched ferric at half the dose

Reduced

Alkalinity, sludge & polymer demand

Bench-scale testing and technical summary prepared by Scott Frazier · Prepared for Jacobs Engineering Group Inc.

02

Poultry Processing

Regional poultry processor · Southeast U.S.

Challenge

Land-applying roughly 1.8 million gallons per month of DAF sludge. Disposal costs were climbing and regulators were tightening scrutiny on land application of protein-rich solids.

Approach

We characterized the DAF solids on the bench and identified a protein/lipid phase-separation opportunity rather than a disposal problem — the same science behind our rare earth density modification patent.

Solution

A two-stage lanthanide density modification (lanthanum and cerium salts) with pH-controlled flotation, separating protein solids from the lipid fat phase so each fraction could be recovered instead of trucked.

50%

Sludge volume reduction

$1.2MM

Annual savings — pays for all plant chemicals

Offal screening room

Funds left over for the upgrade

03

Dairy / Cheese

Midwestern dairy processor

Challenge

A whey spill shocked the biology and collapsed nitrification. Ammonia spiked toward permit limits and the plant faced a likely violation within days.

Approach

Fractional on-site support. We ran jar-tested bioassays to find the inhibitory threshold and confirmed alkalinity depletion as the failure mode, not biomass loss.

Solution

A chloride-free organic acid blend restored alkalinity and buffered the residual toxicity while we staged biomass recovery — chemistry engineered for recovery, not just a chemical sale.

9 days

To permit-compliant ammonia

0

Permit violations

Restored

Nitrification

04

Food Processing

Food ingredient manufacturer

Challenge

A new permit imposed an ultra-low total phosphorus limit of 0.05 mg/L. Standalone rare earth dosing was prohibitively expensive and brittle across the plant's variable flow.

Approach

Process audit and bench testing of proprietary blends against the actual water — not a catalog product. We mapped performance across the full flow and load range before recommending anything.

Solution

An engineered non-hazardous lanthanide blend that hits the limit at a fraction of the standard rare earth dose, with stable performance across variable chemistry.

<0.05

mg/L effluent P

60%

Chemical cost reduced

Non-hazardous

Handling & storage

05

Pulp & Paper

Pulp and paper mill

Challenge

Whole Effluent Toxicity (WET) test failures on Ceriodaphnia threatened the discharge permit and risked production curtailment.

Approach

A toxicity evaluation across the treatment train isolated the cause — residual metallic coagulant carryover — rather than chasing the symptom with more treatment.

Solution

We switched the coagulant strategy to a chloride-free organic acid blend and tuned dose and settling to eliminate the toxic residual, keeping the existing train intact.

Passing

WET tests

Retained

Discharge permit

0

Production days lost

07

Municipal WRF · Tertiary Phosphorus Removal

City of Post Falls Water Reclamation Facility · Post Falls, Idaho

Challenge

Post Falls discharges to the Spokane River through Outfall 001 under a stringent IPDES seasonal total phosphorus limit of 3.19 lb/day (February–October average). The facility operates biological nutrient reduction followed by advanced tertiary lamella clarification and filtration. The coagulant program needed to be evaluated on total performance — not just price per pound — across residual phosphorus, floc density, pH impact, sodium hydroxide demand, sludge production, and filter run time.

Approach

Scott Frazier conducted a comparative bench-scale evaluation at the Post Falls WRF on June 16, 2026, with WRF Chief Operator Adam Tate. Side-by-side jar tests compared 28% TREO Rare Earth coagulant at 40 mg/L against aluminum sulfate at 80 mg/L using actual plant wastewater samples, measuring residual total phosphorus by direct absorbance and calculating full cost-per-pound-of-phosphorus-removed economics.

Solution

28% TREO Rare Earth at 40 mg/L achieved 0.1132 mg/L residual TP versus 0.1257 mg/L for aluminum sulfate at twice the dose — a 10% advantage at half the chemical mass. 28% TREO Rare Earth also produced a denser, more compact, rapidly settling floc with less pH depression, meaning reduced sodium hydroxide demand in the full-scale tertiary train. On a cost-per-lb-TP-removed basis, 28% TREO Rare Earth came in at $146.70/lb versus $157.71/lb for aluminum sulfate — and that comparison excludes secondary savings from caustic reduction, improved lamella capture, and reduced filter backwash frequency. Scott recommended a structured 30-day full-scale trial to quantify those additional economics.

sampledoseresultremoval
Raw--0.3286 mg/L--
28% TREO Rare Earth40 mg/L0.1132 mg/L65.55%
Aluminum Sulfate80 mg/L0.1257 mg/L61.75%

65.55%

TP removal vs. 61.75% for alum

½ dose

28% TREO Rare Earth matched alum at half the chemical mass

$146.70

Cost/lb TP removed vs. $157.71 for alum

Bench-scale evaluation and technical report prepared by Scott Frazier · City of Post Falls Water Reclamation Facility, June 16, 2026

Independent Engineering FirmEsvelt Environmental Engineering, LLC

08

Municipal WWTP · Tertiary Phosphorus Removal

South Fork Coeur d'Alene River Sewer District · Page WWTP · Osburn, Idaho

Challenge

The South Fork Sewer District needed to optimize phosphorus and metals removal at the Page WWTP to meet a stringent NPDES permit limit of 0.15 mg/L total phosphorus. Esvelt Environmental Engineering conducted a comparative jar-testing program evaluating three coagulants — 48% aluminum sulfate, 38% sodium aluminate, and a 45% cerium and lanthanum chloride rare earth solution — across a target pH range of 7.0 to 9.0 S.U. Alum and sodium aluminate were tested first; neither could achieve the 0.15 mg/L target under the permitted pH conditions.

Approach

Bench-scale jar testing on actual secondary effluent from the Page WWTP effluent launder, performed AUG 2026 by Allison Esvelt, PE, BCEE (Principal, Esvelt Environmental Engineering). Four dosing levels were tested per coagulant targeting aluminum-to-phosphorus mole ratios of 4 (alum/aluminate) and cerium-to-phosphorus mole ratios of 2 (rare earth), with SRP and total phosphorus confirmed by SVL Analytical Laboratory using Standard Method 4500-P-E.

Solution

The cerium and lanthanum chloride rare earth coagulant was the only coagulant capable of achieving below the 0.15 mg/L TP target across the permitted pH range of 7.0 to 9.0 S.U. At 40 mg/L dose, rare earth achieved 0.056 mg/L TP — the lowest result of any coagulant tested. Both alum and sodium aluminate failed to meet the target under the same conditions; sodium aluminate produced the highest suspended solids, with two measurements exceeding the permitted effluent water quality criteria. The rare earth coagulant required only a low sodium hydroxide dose (< 5 mg/L) for pH adjustment and showed resilience even at elevated pH (~11.0 S.U.), an advantage for future enhanced metals removal with sulfides. Esvelt recommended rare earth as the design coagulant with a minimum cerium-to-phosphorus mole ratio of 3.

coagulantdosetp resultsrp resultmeets target
Alum (best result)90 mg/L0.237 mg/L<0.01 mg/LNo
Sodium Aluminate (best result)25 mg/L1.570 mg/L0.053 mg/LNo
Rare Earth (Ce/La Chloride)40 mg/L0.056 mg/L<0.01 mg/LYes

Total phosphorus and SRP (mg/L as P) · Secondary effluent, AUG 2026 · SVL Analytical Laboratory (SM 4500-P-E) · Target TP ≤ 0.15 mg/L

0.056 mg/L

Lowest TP achieved — rare earth at 40 mg/L

Failed

Alum and sodium aluminate could not meet 0.15 mg/L target

< 5 mg/L

NaOH dose required for pH adjustment with rare earth

Technical memorandum prepared by Allison Esvelt, MSCE, PE, BCEE, Principal, Esvelt Environmental Engineering, LLC · July 30, 2026 · Prepared for J-U-B Engineers, Inc. and South Fork Coeur d'Alene River Sewer District

06

Municipal–Industrial

Industrial discharger to municipal POTW

Challenge

PFAS in the effluent. Conventional GAC capture was concentrating PFAS into a secondary waste stream that still had to be managed and disposed — a liability, not a solution.

Approach

A strategy review focused on destruction over concentration, and a defensible compliance path rather than a box to buy.

Solution

We guided selection of a destruction technology and optimized pre-treatment so the stream entering destruction was consistent and manageable.

Destruction

Not concentration

Eliminated

Secondary PFAS waste

Defensible

Compliance path

Published Literature

The science behind
the field results.

Peer-reviewed research documenting lanthanum, cerium, and sludge dewaterability — the published evidence base behind what we demonstrate in the jar and at full scale.

01

Zhang, W., Tang, M., Yang, P., & Wang, D. (2020). Journal of Hazardous Materials, 386, 121930.

Cerium chloride (CeCl₃) significantly improved waste activated sludge dewaterability. Normalized capillary suction time (CST) decreased from approximately 99.7 to 22.8 s·L/g as Ce(III) dosage increased from 0 to 50 mg/g TSS, representing approximately a 77% reduction. Mechanisms included charge neutralization, interaction of Ce³⁺ with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), alteration of protein structure, and changes in sludge hydrophobicity.

DOI
02

Journal of Water Process Engineering, 69 (2025), 106772.

La(III) significantly improved the dewaterability of waste activated sludge. Increasing La(III) dosage reduced normalized capillary suction time, with strong dewatering performance reported at approximately 30 mg La(III)/g TSS. The proposed mechanism involved interactions between La³⁺ and EPS, modification of EPS/protein structures, and reduction of the sludge's water-holding capacity.

DOI
03

Water Research, 118 (2017), 93–103.

CeO₂ nanoparticles worsened sludge dewaterability rather than improving it. Increased EPS production and bound water were associated with poorer dewatering. This study demonstrates that the chemical form and speciation of cerium are critical — soluble Ce(III), such as CeCl₃, behaves differently from insoluble or nanoparticulate CeO₂.

DOI
04

You, G., et al. (2016). Environmental Research, 151, 698–705.

CeO₂ nanoparticles affected sludge aggregation, EPS behavior, and interparticle interactions. The research demonstrated the importance of EPS and surface chemistry in determining sludge flocculation and dewatering characteristics.

DOI
05

You, G., Wang, P., Hou, J., Wang, C., Miao, L., Xu, Y., & Feng, T. (2018). Environmental Research, 167, 34–41.

Cerium-containing materials influenced sludge rheology and EPS characteristics. The results provide additional evidence that cerium chemistry can significantly alter the physical properties of activated sludge.

DOI
06

Sager, M. & Wiche, O. (2024). Rare Earth Elements (REE): Origins, Dispersion, and Environmental Implications — A Comprehensive Review. Environments, 11(2), 24.

A 50-page open-access review covering REE geochemistry across the lithosphere, pedosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Establishes that all REE form predominantly trivalent cations (La³⁺, Ce³⁺) sharing ionic radii similar to Ca²⁺, giving them high affinity for phosphate and negatively charged surfaces including extracellular polymeric substances. Documents REE occurrence in wastewater treatment plant effluents, sludge, and sediments, and confirms that chemical form, oxidation state, and speciation are the dominant variables governing REE reactivity in aqueous systems.

DOI
07

Arienzo, M., Ferrara, L., Trifuoggi, M., & Toscanesi, M. (2022). Water, 14(3), 401.

Feature-paper review of REE fate in transitional environments (coasts and estuaries). Examines REE partitioning between dissolved and particulate phases, the influence of salinity gradients and colloidal transport on REE behavior, and the role of complexation with organic and inorganic ligands. The review confirms that speciation, redox state, and solution chemistry govern REE mobility and bioavailability in aqueous systems — reinforcing why chemical form and speciation are decisive in wastewater applications.

DOI
08

Cieślik, B.M., Ronda, O., Okabayashi, S., Chiba, K., Tsuboi, M., & Płotka-Wasylka, J. (2026). Scientific Reports, 16, 2550.

Direct analysis of REE occurrence and mobility in solid residues from sewage sludge incineration — sewage sludge ash (SSA), air pollution control residues (APC), and spent fluidized bed material (FB) — collected from three municipal treatment plants. BCR sequential extraction confirmed >99% of LREE and ~98.5% of Sc are bound in the immobile residual fraction (F4), with exchangeable/carbonate fractions near zero. Ce, La, Nd, and Y were the dominant REE in all fractions. Findings confirm that REE in thermally treated sludge residues are chemically stabilized and pose minimal leaching risk — directly relevant to the fate of rare-earth chemistry introduced at full-scale treatment plants.

DOI
09

Strugała-Wilczek, A., Lejwoda, P., Xu, D., Duan, P., Hao, B., Wang, Y., Leng, L., Yang, L., Fang, L., Koteras, A., & Kapusta, K. (2027). Fuel, 428, 140267.

Experimental study of rare earth element behavior during hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of municipal sewage sludge at 350 °C. 14 of 16 REEs (Dy, Er, Eu, Gd, Ho, La, Lu, Nd, Pr, Sm, Tb, Tm, Y, Yb) showed >99% retention in HTL biochar, while Sc and Ce partially migrated into the aqueous phase at trace levels. Highest biochar contents were Ce (53–874 mg/kg), Y (11–20 mg/kg), and La (5.6–43.2 mg/kg). CeO₂ catalyst significantly increased Gd, Ce, Nd, and Sm in biochar. Confirms sewage sludge as a promising secondary source for REE recovery and documents REE partitioning relevant to thermal processing of rare-earth-conditioned sludges.

DOI
10

Nkinahamira, F., Guo, S., Cao, M., Zhang, Y., Asefi, B., Sun, S., Feng, M., Sun, Q., & Yu, C.-P. (2022). Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 180, 106152.

Closed-loop green approach for extracting and purifying rare earth elements from industrial sludge using environmentally friendly washing solutions ((NH₄)₂SO₄, GLDA, TBAB, water) and a porous β-cyclodextrin polymer composite (PCDP-M-SHM). Speciation showed most REEs in the sludge were bound to a water-soluble fraction, enabling water-only leaching. Recycling efficiencies after purification ranged from 76.0% (Gd) to 87.3% (Pr), except for Ce (8.29%). Cost evaluation estimated $3,676/ton sludge processing with $710/ton revenue — relevant to the economics and feasibility of REE recovery from rare-earth-conditioned wastewater solids.

DOI
11

Elkhlifi, Z., Kamran, M., Maqbool, A., El-Naggar, A., Ifthikar, J., Parveen, A., Bashir, S., Rizwan, M., Mustafa, A., Irshad, S., Ali, S., & Chen, Z. (2021). Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 216, 112173.

Pot study evaluating phosphate-lanthanum modified sewage sludge biochar (La-SSBC-P) on ryegrass growth in alkaline soil. La-SSBC-P treatment increased soil available phosphorus 6.7-fold versus unmodified biochar, reduced CaCO₃ by 76.2%, and produced the highest germination rate, plant height, and dry biomass. Crucially, lanthanum concentration in ryegrass leaves was negligible under all treatments — La was immobilized via precipitation with limestone (XRD-confirmed La₂O₂CO₃), demonstrating that lanthanum added to soil as a treatment agent does not accumulate in plant tissue and is rapidly stabilized in the soil matrix.

DOI
12

Kravchenko, I.K. (2024). Biology and Life Sciences Forum, 30, 23.

Microcosm study of lanthanum's effect on methane-oxidizing bacteria in agricultural sod-podzolic soil using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Ammonium (NH₄⁺) reduced methane-oxidizing activity while lanthanum (La) had a beneficial effect. La addition caused a significant shift in methanotrophic community composition: Methylobacter reached 4% and obligatory methylotroph Methylotenera exceeded 10% of sequences — both absent in controls. La-amended soils showed elevated Proteobacteria (66% vs. 48% control) and reduced microbial diversity overall, consistent with ecological niche restructuring. Confirms that lanthanides actively regulate methanotrophic gene expression and community structure in soils, supporting the broader finding that rare earth elements function as biologically active regulators rather than inert trace contaminants.

DOI
13

Yang, T.-T., Yang, Z.-M., Chen, Z.-B., & Chen, Z.-L. (2026). Total Environment Engineering, 6, 100070.

Batch anaerobic digestion study evaluating lanthanum oxide (LO), yttrium oxide (YO), and neodymium oxide (NO) under high ammonia stress (5 g/L NH₄⁺-N). LO outperformed YO and NO, producing a 26% increase in methane yield and a 24% increase in maximum methane production rate versus unamended controls. LO exhibited the highest electron exchange capacity (EEC) among the three REOs and enriched putatively electroactive Trichococcus and methanogen Methanosarcina, consistent with facilitation of direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET). REOs also enhanced buffering capacity, reduced pH instability, and stimulated multiple methanogenic pathways including acetate decarboxylation and utilization of H₂, methanol, and methylamine. Electron transfer system (ETS) activity increased by 21–32% across all REO treatments. Confirms that rare earth oxides — particularly lanthanum oxide — can alleviate ammonia inhibition and enhance methanogenesis in anaerobic digestion systems.

DOI

Summary of Relevance

CeCl₃ → Ce³⁺Charge neutralization / EPS interaction → altered protein and floc characteristics → improved water release and dewatering.
La(III) → La³⁺Interaction with EPS → alteration of EPS/protein structure → reduced sludge water-holding capacity → improved dewaterability.

Importantly, the literature also demonstrates that CeO₂ nanoparticles do not necessarily produce the same effect as soluble Ce(III). This indicates that oxidation state, solubility, chemical form, counter-ion, dosage, and rare-earth speciation are important variables when evaluating lanthanum- and cerium-based sludge-conditioning technologies.

Full-Text Downloads

Read the
primary sources.

Download the complete peer-reviewed papers referenced above, organized by treatment type. Full-text PDFs for teams that want to study the original data, methods, and mechanisms in detail.

Rare Earth Oxides & Biological Processes

1 paper

Anaerobic digestion and methanogenesis under ammonia stress — the role of rare earth oxides in biological sludge treatment.

Role and Mechanism of Rare Earth Oxides in Alleviating Ammonia Inhibition and Facilitating Methanogenesis

Yang, T.-T., Yang, Z.-M., Chen, Z.-B., & Chen, Z.-L. — Total Environment Engineering, 6, 100070 (2026) — 8 pp.

PDF

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