Urine contains about 50 % of the phosphorus (P) and about 90 % of the nitrogen (N) excreted by humans and is therefore an interesting substrate for nutrient recovery. Source-separated urine can be used to precipitate struvite or, through a newly developed technology, nitrified urine fertilizer (NUF). In this study, we prepared (33)P radioisotope- and stable (15)N isotope-labeled synthetic NUF (SNUF) and struvite using synthetic urine and determined P and N uptake by greenhouse-grown ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum var. Gemini) fertilized with these products. The P and N in the urine-based fertilizers were as readily plant-available in a slightly acidic soil as the P and N in reference mineral fertilizers. The ryegrass crop recovered 26 % of P applied with both urine-based fertilizers and 72 and 75 % of N applied as struvite and SNUF, respectively. Thus, NUF and urine-derived struvite are valuable N and P recycling fertilizers.
Urine contains about 50 % of the pan class="Chemical">phosphorus (P) and about 90 % of the pan class="Chemical">nitrogen (N) excreted by humans and is therefore an interesting substrate for nutrient recovery. Source-separated urine can be used to precipitate struvite or, through a newly developed technology, nitrified urine fertilizer (NUF). In this study, we prepared (33)P radioisotope- and stable (15)N isotope-labeled synthetic NUF (SNUF) and struvite using synthetic urine and determined P and N uptake by greenhouse-grown ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum var. Gemini) fertilized with these products. The P and N in the urine-based fertilizers were as readily plant-available in a slightly acidic soil as the P and N in reference mineral fertilizers. The ryegrass crop recovered 26 % of P applied with both urine-based fertilizers and 72 and 75 % of N applied as struvite and SNUF, respectively. Thus, NUF and urine-derived struvite are valuable N and P recycling fertilizers.
Authors: Andrew N Sharpley; Lars Bergström; Helena Aronsson; Marianne Bechmann; Carl H Bolster; Katarina Börling; Faruk Djodjic; Helen P Jarvie; Oscar F Schoumans; Christian Stamm; Karin S Tonderski; Barbro Ulén; Risto Uusitalo; Paul J A Withers Journal: Ambio Date: 2015-03 Impact factor: 5.129
Authors: Peter J Talboys; James Heppell; Tiina Roose; John R Healey; Davey L Jones; Paul J A Withers Journal: Plant Soil Date: 2015-12-11 Impact factor: 4.192