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ABSTRACT
The control of nutrients is a priority issue to protect drinking water resources as well as other water bodies. Although this control can be ensured through well designed joint treatment systems in cities, its application in rural areas is not as technically feasible. Therefore, the concept of decentralized treatment and source separation of domestic wastewater has been developed as a result of this requirement. This concept includes, not only control of nutrients, but also recovery and reuse of nutrients mainly for agricultural purposes. Among the source-separated fractions of domestic wastewaters, human urine or yellow water is of importance since it collects a significant part of all nutrients in a small volume. Therefore, studies have been focused on nutrient recovery from source separated human urine. This review evaluates the present state of urine treatment and resource recovery using struvite precipitation, ion exchange with zeolites and adsorption processes. The evaluation of these processes has been made by considering their theoretical bases, operational parameters, efficiencies, advantages and disadvantages. Coupling of these treatment and recovery processes with newly developed technologies such as electrochemical and biological means were considered. The impact of the use of these technologies on the environment was also evaluated. Further need of research for all processes has also been assessed and emphasized.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes on contributors
Işık Kabdaşlı is a professor of environmental engineering at the İstanbul Technical University (ITU), Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department and an instructor at ITU Centre of Excellence for Disaster Management. She has been involved in academic and practical research and projects in the field of aquatic chemistry, chemical treatment processes and industrial pollution control and management. She won the Incentive Science Award of Turkish National Scientific and Research Council in 2001. She studied at Cranfield University, School of Water Science, UK as visiting professor during 2003. She has been specialized in chemical treatment of industrial wastewaters and water chemistry. She is a vice chair of IWA-Turkey and regional editor of an International Scientific Journal. She has published around three hundred papers and several books in both Turkish and English.
Olcay Tünay graduated from İstanbul Technical University (ITU) Chemical Engineering Faculty in 1973 with the M.E. degree. He received his PhD in Environmental Science and Technology program of ITU in 1979. He conducted studies between 1980 and 1982 as post-doctoral fellow at University of California at Berkeley. He became professor in 1989 at ITU Civil Engineering Faculty, Environmental Engineering Department. His areas of research are aquatic chemistry, industrial pollution control, chemical treatment technologies, and hazardous wastes. He has been involved in a number of international scientific and application projects. He also worked as a consultant for the state and industries. His publications include over three hundred papers and several books in both Turkish and English.