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Self-Powered Bioelectrochemical Nutrient Recovery for Fertilizer Generation from Human Urine

Author

Listed:
  • Stefano Freguia

    (Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia)

  • Maddalena E. Logrieco

    (Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino (TO), Italy)

  • Juliette Monetti

    (Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia)

  • Pablo Ledezma

    (Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia)

  • Bernardino Virdis

    (Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia)

  • Seiya Tsujimura

    (Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8573, Japan)

Abstract

Nutrient recovery from source-separated human urine has been identified by many as a viable avenue towards the circular economy of nutrients. Moreover, untreated (and partially treated) urine is the main anthropogenic route of environmental discharge of nutrients, most concerning for nitrogen, whose release has exceeded the planet’s own self-healing capacity. Urine contains all key macronutrients (N, P, and K) and micronutrients (S, Ca, Mg, and trace metals) needed for plant growth and is, therefore, an excellent fertilizer. However, direct reuse is not recommended in modern society due to the presence of active organic molecules and heavy metals in urine. Many systems have been proposed and tested for nutrient recovery from urine, but none so far has reached technological maturity due to usually high power or chemical requirements or the need for advanced process controls. This work is the proof of concept for the world’s first nutrient recovery system that powers itself and does not require any chemicals or process controls. This is a variation of the previously proposed microbial electrochemical Ugold process, where a novel air cathode catalyst active in urine conditions (pH 9, high ammonia) enables in situ generation of electricity in a microbial fuel cell setup, and the simultaneous harvesting of such electricity for the electrodialytic concentration of ionic nutrients into a product stream, which is free of heavy metals. The system was able to sustain electrical current densities around 3 A m –2 for over two months while simultaneously upconcentrating N and K by a factor of 1.5–1.7.

Suggested Citation

  • Stefano Freguia & Maddalena E. Logrieco & Juliette Monetti & Pablo Ledezma & Bernardino Virdis & Seiya Tsujimura, 2019. "Self-Powered Bioelectrochemical Nutrient Recovery for Fertilizer Generation from Human Urine," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-10, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:19:p:5490-:d:273388
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dana Cordell & Stuart White, 2011. "Peak Phosphorus: Clarifying the Key Issues of a Vigorous Debate about Long-Term Phosphorus Security," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(10), pages 1-23, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kyeongwon Kim & Young Mok Heo & Seokyoon Jang & Hanbyul Lee & Sun-Lul Kwon & Myung Soo Park & Young Woon Lim & Jae-Jin Kim, 2020. "Diversity of Trichoderma spp. in Marine Environments and Their Biological Potential for Sustainable Industrial Applications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-12, May.
    2. Christophe El-Nakhel & Danny Geelen & Jolien De Paepe & Peter Clauwaert & Stefania De Pascale & Youssef Rouphael, 2021. "An Appraisal of Urine Derivatives Integrated in the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Inputs of a Lettuce Soilless Cultivation System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Jui-Sheng Chou & Chang-Ping Yu & Dinh-Nhat Truong & Billy Susilo & Anyi Hu & Qian Sun, 2019. "Predicting Microbial Species in a River Based on Physicochemical Properties by Bio-Inspired Metaheuristic Optimized Machine Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-22, December.
    4. Jingsi Xiao & Ulrike Alewell & Ingo Bruch & Heidrun Steinmetz, 2021. "Development of a Self-Sustaining Wastewater Treatment with Phosphorus Recovery for Small Rural Settlements," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-12, January.

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