Recycling nutrients contained in human excreta to agriculture: Pathways, processes, and products
Review article, 2019

The need for better nutrient management has spurred efforts towards more comprehensive recycling of nutrients contained in human excreta to agriculture. Research in this direction has intensified throughout the past years, continuously unfolding new knowledge and technologies. The present review aspires to provide a systematic synthesis of the field by providing an accessible overview of terminology, recovery pathways and treatment options, and products rendered by treatment. Our synthesis suggests that, rather than focusing on a specific recovery pathway or product and on a limited set of nutrients, there is scope for exploring how to maximize nutrient recovery by combining individual pathways and products and including a broader range of nutrients. To this end, finding ways to more effectively share and consolidate knowledge and information on recovery pathways and products would be beneficial. The present review aims to provide a template that aims to facilitate designing human excreta management for maximum nutrient recovery, and that can serve as foundation for organizing and categorizing information for more effective sharing and consolidation.

organic matter

fertilizer

sewage

feces

source- separation

carbon

recovery

resource- oriented sanitation

nitrogen

Phosphorus

urine

potassium

blackwater

soil amendment

wastewater

Author

Robin Harder

Chalmers, Technology Management and Economics, Environmental Systems Analysis

University of British Columbia (UBC)

Rosanne Wielemaker

Wageningen University and Research

Tove A Larsen

Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology

Grietje Zeeman

Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology

Gunilla Öberg

University of British Columbia (UBC)

Critical Reviews in Environmental Science and Technology

1064-3389 (ISSN) 1547-6537 (eISSN)

Vol. 49 8 695-743

Resource recycling from sanitation to farming systems to regenerate soil and land: identifying approaches that are feasible and preferable

Formas (2016-00859), 2017-01-31 -- 2020-06-30.

Subject Categories

Other Agricultural Sciences not elsewhere specified

Water Engineering

Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

DOI

10.1080/10643389.2018.1558889

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Latest update

7/8/2021 2