Reuse Of Urine Research Articles

Norfloxacin degradation in synthetic human urine using nickel converter slag-laterite heterogeneous Electro-Fenton process

Human urine is a point source of environmental antibiotic-related microcontaminants. Thus, developing dedicated treatment technologies for the effective degradation of urine antibiotics is highly desirable in large-scale human urine reuse. This work studied the antibiotic removal in synthetic human urine by the nickel converter slag-laterite (NCS-LA) heterogeneous Electro-Fenton (heterogeneous-EF) process. The objective was to assess the feasibility of this advanced oxidation process (AOP) for antibiotic elimination in synthetic human urine. Results indicated that the artificial aeration mode of 0.5 L/min could reach 95.25 % norfloxacin (NOR) degradation efficiency in synthetic human urine under established conditions (catalyst dosage 60 g/L, initial pH 3, applied current 80 mA). The natural aeration mode (the NOR degradation efficiency was only 9.49 %) was unsuitable for a single chamber undivided reactor with graphite felt (GF) cathode and Ti/RuO2-IrO2 anode. In cycling experiments conducted in synthetic urine, NCS-LA showed excellent reusability and stability. The NOR degradation efficiency decreased by only 5.01 % after six cycles. The leaching concentrations of heavy metals (Fe, Ni, Co and Cu) after each cycle were low (0.01–3.72 mg/L). This strategy is expected to clear the way for the recovery and reuse of urine.

Psychometric analysis of the ecological dispositions of rural farming communities in South Africa: Implications for human excreta reuse in agriculture

The established link between anthropogenic activities and environmental problems calls for the understanding of public perceptions of the environment. Circular bioeconomy approaches promote sustainable and resilient food systems, and are critical to address soil, human, and environmental health. This study endeavours to understand the ecological worldviews of rural farming communities and implications for human excreta reuse in agriculture. The study adopted the social psychology theory and the new ecological paradigm scale, which measures environmental attitudes. The Cronbach’s alpha factoring indicated high internal consistency and reliability of the questions. The results show that rural farmers are moderately environmentally conscious. The hierarchical regression results show that age, education, and household income negatively influence environmental attitudes. Pro-environmental farmers perceived lower health risk and believed that they were more capable of using human excreta. The study recommends that the reuse of human excreta in agriculture be marketed as a sustainable and environmentally friendly innovation to increase social acceptance by rural farmers in agri-food systems.

Behavioral intentions of rural farmers to recycle human excreta in agriculture

Considerable progress has been made in developing human excreta recovery pathways and processes for maximum nutrient recovery and contaminant elimination. The demand segment has often been ignored as an area for future research, especially during the technology development. The findings from the few published articles on social acceptance show missing and inconclusive influence of demographic, sociological, and economic farmer-characteristics. This study endeavours to close this gap by using the social psychological theories, technology adoption theories and the new ecological paradigm to investigate the factors that influence the behavioral intentions of rural farmers to recycle human excreta in agriculture. Study findings show that social acceptance was driven by awareness, religiosity, income, source of income, and environmental dispositions. Perceived behavioral control represents a potential barrier to human excreta reuse. The study recommends the demographic, cultural, sociological, and economic mainstreaming of dissemination strategies of circular bioeconomy approaches within the context of agricultural innovation systems.

Turning poop into profit: Cost-effectiveness and soil transmitted helminth infection risk associated with human excreta reuse in Vietnam.

Human excreta is a low cost source of nutrients vital to plant growth, but also a source of pathogens transmissible to people and animals. We investigated the cost-savings and infection risk of soil transmitted helminths (STHs) in four scenarios where farmers used either inorganic fertilizer or fresh/composted human excreta supplemented by inorganic fertilizer to meet the nutrient requirements of rice paddies in the Red River Delta, Vietnam. Our study included two main components: 1) a risk estimate of STH infection for farmers who handle fresh excreta, determined by systematic review and meta-analysis; and 2) a cost estimate of fertilizing rice paddies, determined by nutrient assessment of excreta, a retailer survey of inorganic fertilizer costs, and a literature review to identify region-specific inputs. Our findings suggest that farmers who reuse fresh excreta are 1.24 (95% CI: 1.13–1.37, p-value<0.001) times more likely to be infected with any STH than those who do not handle excreta or who compost appropriately, and that risk varies by STH type (Ascaris lumbricoides RR = 1.17, 95% CI = 0.87–1.58, p-value = 0.29; Hookworm RR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.50–2.06, p-value = 0.96; Trichuris trichiura RR = 1.38, 95% CI = 0.79–2.42, p-value = 0.26). Average cost-savings were highest for farmers using fresh excreta (847,000 VND) followed by those who composted for 6 months as recommended by the WHO (312,000 VND) and those who composted for a shorter time (5 months) with lime supplementation (37,000 VND/yr); however, this study did not assess healthcare costs of treating acute or chronic STH infections in the target group. Our study provides evidence that farmers in the Red River Delta are able to use a renewable and locally available resource to their economic advantage, while minimizing the risk of STH infection.

Understanding sustained use of ecological sanitation in rural Burkina Faso

Access to safe sanitation services is fundamental for healthy and productive lives, but in rural Burkina Faso only around 7% of the population uses improved sanitation. Ecological sanitation (ecosan) systems that allow safe agricultural reuse of nutrients in human waste have been promoted in these areas, as a way to meet sanitation needs while contributing to food security. However, little is known about the success of these interventions in terms of both sustained use of the toilet and safe excreta reuse practices. We assessed the use of ecosan systems in 44 rural communities where such interventions had taken place. Structured interviews and observations conducted at 520 randomly selected concessions (residential properties), suggested a large-scale shift from open defecation to ecosan toilet use. However, only 58% of surveyed concessions reported ever emptying the ecosan toilet vault, which is required for optimal long-term functioning. Concessions that received ecosan training programmes with a greater emphasis on agricultural reuse were more strongly associated with toilet use and emptying than those that whose training focused more on sanitation access and health benefits. The findings suggest that the safe agricultural reuse of nutrients can provide a strong motivation for long-term adoption of improved sanitation among rural smallholders.

Heavy Metal Uptake of Corn Irrigated with Human Urine

&lt;p&gt;Pit latrine (PL) is one of the most common disposal systems for human excreta in low-income countries but because it is a hole in the ground, infiltration of liquid effluent into the soil can continuously occur. Poor sanitation systems permit the spread of heavy metals in urine to water bodies especially the groundwater. This study investigated the accumulation of heavy metals in shoots of corn plants irrigated with urine. A pot experiment with corn was conducted under greenhouse conditions. Urine was diluted to 3:1 ratio (water and urine respectively) and was compared to control (water only). Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES), heavy metals such as Boron, Barium, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Manganese, Nickel, Silicon, Strontium and Zinc were detected in shoots of all plants with contents ranging from 0.22 to 2,487.44 milligram (mg) per kilogram (kg). The higher amounts detected in urine irrigated plants than the control proved the presence of the metals in the urine. Reuse of urine will definitely benefit farmers while at the same time reduce the risk of heavy metal contamination in groundwater.&lt;/p&gt;

English

Ghana lags behind the Millennium Development Goals&rsquo; target for sanitation, despite widespread effort by the central government. Most households in peri-urban communities in Ghana lack improved sanitation facilities, and access to faecal sludge disposal sites is also problematic. This study investigates farmers&rsquo; attitude and perception toward excreta reuse for peri-urban agriculture in Shai-Osudoku district, Ghana. Data were collected on 400 randomly selected respondents using questionnaires and focus group discussions. The study found that a majority of the respondents &lsquo;disagree&rsquo; that excreta are a waste and are willing to use excreta as fertilizer, although a majority &lsquo;agrees&rsquo; that excreta can pose health risks. Perceptions toward excreta reuse for agricultural purpose however differ among households. There is the need for more open discussions on the benefits and risks of excreta reuse in agriculture; this could help enrich farmers&rsquo; knowledge on the appropriate use of excreta as fertilizer. Further research on the factors that influence farmers&rsquo; decision to use excreta as fertilizer and their perceptions on the health risks is recommended. &nbsp; Key words: Sanitation, excreta reuse, farmers&rsquo; perception, peri-urban agriculture, Ghana.

Diarrhoeal diseases among adult population in an agricultural community Hanam province, Vietnam, with high wastewater and excreta re-use.

BackgroundDespite the potential health risks of wastewater and excreta use as fertiliser in agriculture, it is still widespread in Vietnam. However, the importance of diarrheal risk in adults’ associated with the combined exposures to both excreta and wastewater use in agriculture is largely unknown. This study was carried out to determine diarrhoeal incidence and associated risk factors among the adult population exposed to wastewater and excreta used in agriculture in Hanam province, Vietnam.MethodsAn open cohort of 867 adults, aged 16–65 years, was followed weekly for 12 months to determine the incidence of diarrhoea. A nested case–control study was used to assess the risk factors of diarrhoeal episodes. Two hundred and thirty-two pairs of cases and controls were identified and exposure information related to wastewater, human and animal excreta, personal hygiene practices, and food and water consumption was collected.ResultsThe incidence rate of reported diarrhoea was 0.28 episodes per person-years at risk. The risk factors for diarrhoeal diseases included direct contact with the Nhue River water (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4, attributable fraction [AF] 27%), local pond water (OR = 2.3, AF 14%), composting of human excreta for a duration less than 3 months (OR = 2.4, AF 51%), handling human excreta in field work (OR = 5.4, AF 7%), handling animal excreta in field work (OR = 3.3, AF 36%), lack of protective measures while working (OR = 6.9, AF 78%), never or rarely washing hands with soap (OR = 3.3, AF 51%), use of rainwater for drinking (OR = 5.4, AF 77%) and eating raw vegetables the day before (OR = 2.4, AF 12%).ConclusionsOur study shows that professional exposure to wastewater and excreta during agricultural activities are significantly contributing to the risk of diarrhoea in adults. The highest attributable fractions were obtained for direct contact with Nhue River and local ponds, handling practices of human and animal excreta as fertilisers, lack of protective measures while working and poor personal hygiene practices, and unsafe food and water consumption were associated with the risk of diarrhoeal episodes in adults. Improve personal hygiene practices and use of relevant treated wastewater and excreta as the public health measures to reduce these exposures will be most effective and are urgently warranted.

Using the Receptivity model to uncover ‘urine blindness’: perceptions on the re-use of urine

Population growth, climatic changes and over-exploitation of natural resources are at the basis of the world's food crisis, which counts almost one million people without sufficient food sustenance. These changes require novel environmental practices which are based on nutrient recovery and management in agriculture. This contribution analyses and discusses users' perceptions on re-use of urine as fertilizer through the lenses of the Receptivity model. A search was performed on Scopus (as well as other web search engines) using the keywords: urine, nutrient recovery and sanitation. Results shows how questions related to awareness, association, acquisition and application of the environmental change can represent hurdles to novel models of nutrient recovery and the use of urine in agriculture. Examples of hurdles identified from the literature relate to poor understanding of potential for urine reuse, social stigma attached to using dry sanitation and applying urine in agriculture and poor operational knowledge of application of urine in agriculture. Conclusion relates to the illustration of implications of such challenges on the design of environmental interventions.

Nutrients in urine: energetic aspects of removal and recovery

The analysis of different removal and recovery techniques for nutrients in urine shows that in many cases recovery is energetically more efficient than removal and new-production from natural resources. Considering only the running electricity and fossil energy requirements for the traditional way of wastewater treatment and fertiliser production, the following specific energy requirements can be calculated: 45 MJ kg(-1)N for denitrification in a WWTP, 49 MJ kg(-1)p for P-precipitation in a WWTP, 45 MJ kg(-1)N for N-fertiliser and 29 MJ kg(-1)p for P-fertiliser production. These numbers are higher than the values derived for thermal volume reduction of urine (35 MJ kg(-1)N for eliminating 90% water) or production of struvite (102 MJ kg(-1)N, including 2.2 kg P). Considering only the electricity and fossil energy for the traditional way of wastewater treatment and fertiliser production, the energy value of 1 PE urine is 0.87 MJ PE(-1) d(-1) (fertiliser value: 0.44, wastewater treatment: 0.43 MJ PE(-1) d(-1)). A more detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) of the entire urine collection system, including the required materials and the environmental burden, support the energy analysis. The LCA compares conventional denitrification in a wastewater treatment plant with collecting urine in households, reducing the volume by evaporation and using it as a multi-nutrient fertiliser. The primary energy consumption for recovery and reuse of urine, including the nutrients N, P and K, is calculated with 65 MJ kg(-1)N, compared with 153 MJ kg(-1)N derived for the conventional 'recycling over the atmosphere'.

Generalised Model of the Effect of Different Control Measures in Reducing Health Risks from Waste Reuse

Health risks from wastewater and excreta reuse are assessed using an epidemiological definition of attributable risk instead of the presence of a microbiological hazard. Measures for health protection need not rely on total pathogen removal by waste treatment processes but may include ways to prevent direct human exposure to the wastes. The range of possible options for health protection includes: waste treatment, crop restriction, localised application methods, control of human exposure, and combinations of the different methods. A generalised model is used to show the effectiveness of each option in reducing health risks to agricultural workers and consumers of the crops grown. Three different regimes are available for rendering waste reuse ‘safe' to both workers and consumers, and several regimes are capable of reducing but not eliminating health risks. Case studies are given of the application of the model to wastewater and excreta reuse in agriculture and aquaculture in 6 different countries. The model can be used to aid decisions by planners and engineers to ensure that health protection measures are targetted towards specific exposed groups in the population, within their local context.

Generalised Model of the Effect of Different Control Measures in Reducing Health Risks from Waste Reuse†

Health risks from wastewater and excreta reuse are assessed using an epidemiological definition of attributable risk instead of the presence of a microbiological hazard. Measures for health protection need not rely on total pathogen removal by waste treatment processes but may include ways to prevent direct human exposure to the wastes. The range of possible options for health protection includes: waste treatment, crop restriction, localised application methods, control of human exposure, and combinations of the different methods. A generalised model is used to show the effectiveness of each option in reducing health risks to agricultural workers and consumers of the crops grown. Three different regimes are available for rendering waste reuse ‘safe' to both workers and consumers, and several regimes are capable of reducing but not eliminating health risks. Case studies are given of the application of the model to wastewater and excreta reuse in agriculture and aquaculture in 6 different countries. The model can be used to aid decisions by planners and engineers to ensure that health protection measures are targetted towards specific exposed groups in the population, within their local context. † The full version of this article will appear in Water Science and Technology, 2l(6/7), 567-577 (1989).