The sanitation and urban agriculture nexus: urine collection and application as fertilizer in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Author(s)

Chrispim, Mariana C. ; Tarpeh, William A. ; Salinas, Delhi T. P. ; Nolasco, Marcelo A.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF WATER SANITATION AND HYGIENE FOR DEVELOPMENT; v. 7, n. 3, p. 455-465, SEP 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 6

Abstract

Separately collected urine is an attractive potential fertilizer because of its high nutrient content, lowcost, and inherent linkage of urbanwastewatermanagement and peri-urban agriculture. Urine from waterless urinals was applied to corn and lettuce plants to examine the impact of urine application rates and frequency on plant growth and soil parameters. In both corn and lettuce experiments, urine application significantly (p < 0.05) increased growth and leaf production relative to control plants. More frequent applications led to lower soil cation exchange capacities for corn and higher soil nitrogen content for both crops. Based on preliminary implementation calculations, waterless urinals at the University of Sao Paulo (USP), School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities campus could lead to over 1,500 m(3) of water saved and 360 m3 of urine produced on an annual basis. These experiments and modeling results are discussed in the context of scaling up urban urine collection, transport, and fertilization in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 10/50653-2 - Estrogenic compounds in wastewater: biological effects analysis, determination of compound distribution and development of removal strategies
• Grantee: Marcelo Antunes Nolasco
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 10/18241-6 - Evaluation of alternative decentralized of sanitation through the use of human urine as fertilizer in subsistence agriculture
• Grantee: Mariana Cardoso Chrispim
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation