Plant uptake of phosphorus and nitrogen recycled from synthetic source-separated urine
Abstract
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 33P radioisotope- and stable 15N 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. Show more
Permanent link
https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000099615Publication status
publishedExternal links
Journal / series
AmbioVolume
Pages / Article No.
Publisher
SpringerSubject
Human urine; Struvite; Nitrified urine fertilizer; Phosphorus; P-33 and N-15 labeling; Nutrient use efficiencyOrganisational unit
03832 - Morgenroth, Eberhard / Morgenroth, Eberhard
03427 - Frossard, Emmanuel / Frossard, Emmanuel
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