Plant uptake of phosphorus and nitrogen recycled from synthetic source-separated urine

Ambio. 2015 Mar;44 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):S217-27. doi: 10.1007/s13280-014-0616-6.

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 (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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Lolium / metabolism
  • Nitrogen / metabolism*
  • Phosphorus / metabolism*
  • Urine / chemistry*

Substances

  • Phosphorus
  • Nitrogen