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Pilot Experiments with Electrodialysis and Ozonation for the Production of a Fertilizer from Urine

Pronk, W.; Zuleeg, S.; Lienert, J.; Escher, B.; Koller, M.; Berner, A.; Koch, G. and Boller, M. (2007) Pilot Experiments with Electrodialysis and Ozonation for the Production of a Fertilizer from Urine. Water Science and Technology, 56 (5), pp. 219-227.

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Summary

Pilot tests were performed with a process combination of electrodialysis and ozonation for the removal of micropollutants and the concentration of nutrients in urine. In continuous and batch experiments, maximum concentration factors up to 3.5 and 4.1 were obtained, respectively. The desalination capacity did not decrease significantly during continuous operation periods of several weeks. Membrane cleaning after 195 days resulted in approximately 35% increase in desalination rate. The Yeast Estrogen Screen (YES), a bioassay that selectively detects oestrogenic compounds, confirmed that about 90% of the oestrogenic activity was removed by electrodialysis. HPLC analysis showed that ibuprofen was removed to a high extent, while other micropollutants were below the detection limit. In view of the fact that ibuprofen is among the most rapidly transported micropollutants in electrodialysis processes, this result indicates that electrodialysis provides an effective barrier for micropollutants. Standardised plant growth tests were performed in the field with the salt solution resulting from the treatment by electrodialysis and subsequent ozonation. The results show that the plant height is comparable to synthetic fertilisers, but the crop yield is slightly lower. The latter is probably caused by volatilisation losses during field application, which can be prevented by improved application technologies.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:Anbautechnik einjährige Kulturen, Biohortikultur, Agricultural application, membrane technology, micropollutants, nutrient recovery, urine treatment
Subjects: Crop husbandry
Soil > Soil quality
Environmental aspects > Air and water emissions
Research affiliation: Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Crops > Special crops > Vegetables
Deposited By: Koller, Martin
ID Code:13159
Deposited On:07 Mar 2008
Last Modified:11 Nov 2020 13:06
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

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