Discovery of Phosphorus from Urine
German alchemist Hennig Brand sought the ‘philosopher's stone’ to turn metals into gold.
He noticed urine's golden color and believed it contained gold particles.
Brand distilled urine from various sources, but instead of gold, he discovered phosphorus.
This discovery showed that urine is rich in essential elements like phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen, which are key for plant growth.
New Electrochemical Process for Urea Extraction
Researchers developed a new process to extract urea from urine in its solid form.
The process uses electrochemical techniques and graphitic carbon-based catalysts.
Urea in urine is converted into percarbamide, a white crystalline solid with valuable properties.
Percarbamide is known for releasing active oxygen and can be used in chemical reactions or as fertilizer.
The extraction process achieves nearly 100% purity, making it a valuable resource for environmental and agricultural uses.
Pee-Cycling for Sustainable Fertilizer
Urine is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients, making it an excellent resource for fertilizer.
The new process recycles urine into solid percarbamide, which releases nitrogen slowly when used as fertilizer.
This process helps close the nitrogen cycle, returning vital nutrients to the soil.
By recycling urine into fertilizer, it reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers and promotes sustainable farming.
The solid percarbamide also promotes root respiration, benefiting plant growth.
Environmental Impact and Potential
The method offers a sustainable solution for treating urine and reducing waste.
Recycling urine into fertilizer contributes to reducing pollution and improving soil quality.
The process helps conserve water by treating urban wastewater and recycling nutrients.
It supports a circular economy by turning waste into valuable resources like fertilizers.
Researchers are excited about the potential to transform wastewater treatment and resource recovery.
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