Pathogens inactivation in nutrient recovery from urine: A review

Abstract

Urine source separation, a kind of new sewage management concept, has made great progress in technology development and application in the past 30 years. However, understanding of the potential microbial risks in reuse of urine-derived fertilizer products (UDFPs) in agriculture is still lacking. Outbreak of pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 and more deadly disease caused by Monkeypox strongly sounds the alarm bell to the attention on pathogens in urine and their fate in UDFPs. Therefore, this study presented a comprehensive review on pathogens inactivation in nutrient recovery technologies. The review suggests that technologies using alkaline or heating treatment can effectively reduce pathogens in UDFPs. However, technologies with characteristics such as membrane rejection of nutrients or nutrient adsorption may even concentrate pathogens in their fertilizer products. Based on an overall assessment, connections of technologies and the pathogens inactivation in their UDFPs have been established. This would help to provide a perspective on development of urine treatment technology and management of microbial risks in reusing urine nutrients in agriculture.

Metagenome-based microbial community analysis of urine-derived fertilizer

“…The storage time was higher in this study which in turn increase the exposure of the bacteria to higher amount of ammonia and alkaline pH, thus decreased the bacterial count (Goetsch et al, 2020; Lahr et al, 2016; Xu et al, 2022). The abundance of Treponema in the struvite sample may be speculated by the fatty acids present struvite may favor its presence (Salvatore, et al, 2013).…”

“…Despite the idea that urine in the human body is sterile, studies have evidenced that urine hosts a set of microbes from the anatomical reservoir to its release out (Hilt et al, 2014). Depending on the health status of the individual, a variety of microbes have been reported in human urine (Xu et al, 2022; Cao et al ., 2022; Andreu, 2005). Urine bacterial composition differs by gender, age (Lewis et al, 2013), contamination with fecal matter when voided (Bischel et al, 2015; Ahmed et al, 2017).…”

Metagenome-based microbial community analysis of urine-derived fertilizer

“…Despite the idea that urine in the human body is sterile, studies have evidenced that urine hosts a set of microbes from the anatomical reservoir to its release out (Hilt et al, 2014). Depending on the health status of the individual, a variety of microbes have been reported in human urine (Xu et al, 2022;Cao et al, 2022). Urine bacterial composition differs by gender, age (Lewis et al, 2013), contamination with fecal matter when voided (Bischel et al, 2015;Ahmed et al, 2017).…”

Unveiling the Impact of Human Urine Fertilization on Soil Bacterial Communities: A Path Toward Sustainable Fertilization

“…Moreover, storing urine for several months, with the resulting increase in its pH value (about 9 versus 6.5 for fresh urine) and its free ammonia concentration induced by ureolysis, is considered sufficient to inactivate most human pathogenic bacteria (World Health Security, 2006;Xu et al, 2022) and breakdown extracellular DNA (Goetsch et al, 2020). Therefore, source-separation of urine followed by a storage process further reduces risks of disease transmission.…”