In that apparatus for the biological removal of phosphorus, the volume of sludge can be reduced by solubilizing at least some of the return sludge and subjecting it to biological treatment once again. Furthermore, by removing and recovering the phosphorus which is included in the solubilized sludge obtained by solubilizing the returned sludge as MAP (magnesium ammonium phosphate) by way of the anaerobic tank and the phosphorus-removing column (MAP reaction column), it is possible to remove the phosphorus from the system.
A schematic drawing which shows the apparatus for the biological removal of phosphorus disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Unexamined Laid Open Patent Application H l l - 5 7 7 7 3 is shown in FIG.6 , and this comprises an anaerobic tank 1, a MAP reaction column 2, a denitrification tank 3, a nitrification tank (aerobic tank) 4, a settling tank 5 and a solubilizing tank 6. The waste water is introduced into the anaerobic tank 1 together with solubilized sludge from the solubilizing tank 6. In the anaerobic tank 1, under anaerobic conditions, the phosphorus in the solubilized sludge is released to the liquid side (this phosphorus is almost all in the form of orthophosphoric acid which is convenient for MAP formation). This anaerobic treatment liquid is introduced into the MAP reaction column 2 and generally has a phosphorus concentration of from 15 to 25 mg/1 and so the MAP formation reaction proceeds smoothly.