Electro-concentration of urine designed for separation of sodium from nitrogen

Abstract

Source-separated urine is a natural liquid fertilizer used by humanity for millennia. Urine use in modern nutrient recycling can be hindered by high relative salinity, non-optimal macro-nutrient ratio, presence of pathogens, and organic micropollutants. In this study, an electrochemical system was used to oxidize and concentrate synthetic urine into a product concentrate and a waste concentrate, also releasing a treated low nutrient load effluent. The system comprised two electrochemical reactors with separate concentration chambers and two circulation loops. Each circulation loop was comprised of two electrodes of opposite polarity, one from each of the two reactors. The pH levels in each l..