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Research article2016Peer reviewedOpen access

Fertilizer from dried human urine added to ash and lime a potential product from eco-sanitation system

Dutta, Shanta; Vinneras, Bjorn

Abstract

This research explored the possibility of making fertilizer at a laboratory from source separated and untreated human urine added to ash and lime by drying at low temperatures. A mixture of ash and lime (1:1) was used as drying agent and human urine was applied as undiluted and fresh. Ash and lime were chosen as drying agents for maintaining a pH > 10 during the drying process, which should inhibit urea hydrolysis in urine, and thereby urea should be retained in the drying agent. The drying technique was developed and drying capacity of the system was quantified; three specific temperatures (20 degrees, 35 degrees, 60 degrees C) and two airflow rates (1 L/min and 5 L/min) were used in the experiment. A mass balance for nitrogen in the system was obtained. It was evident from the experiment that urea can be retained by maintaining a high pH (>10). Urine drying at 20 degrees C was not a feasible option, since rate of evaporation was very low. The highest retention of inflow nitrogen at 35 degrees C and 60 degrees C were 74% and 54%, respectively, in the produced fertilizer. Reduced evaporation rate, flooding of urine over drying agent, and blockage in airflow influenced nitrogen loss and concentration of nitrogen in the final product.

Keywords

eco-san; fertilizer; nitrogen; nutrient recycling; source separated urine

Published in

Water Science and Technology
2016, Volume: 74, number: 6, pages: 1436-1445
Publisher: IWA PUBLISHING

      SLU Authors

      • Sustainable Development Goals

      SDG12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

      UKÄ Subject classification

      Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2016.324

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83228