The paper presents results of the investigation into the temperature mediated
mineralogical formation of struvite family crystals in a synthetic wastewater. The scale-forming
solution was set-up by mixing solutions of MgCl2 and NH4H2PO4 with Mg+2, NH4
+ and PO4
-3
in a molar ratio (MAP) of 1:1:1. The temperature was altered: 30, 35 and 40 OC. The initial pH
of the solution was set up in 9.0. SEM (equipped with EDX) analysis revealed that the crystals
have a needle like-shaped morphology, and contained Mg, K, P, and O as the main
composition. The Rietveld analysis of the XRPD pattern confirmed that the major phase of
struvite, and struvite-(K) formed in the precipitating solids. Apparently, bobierrite and
newberyte were other phosphate minerals formed at the temperature of 35 OC. Analysis of this
experimental data suggested that the temperature-mediated crystallization process yielded a
potential optimization of struvite precipitation
