Fate of nitrogen and phosphorus from source-separated human urine in a calcareous soil

Autor: Manon Rumeau, Claire Marsden, Nassim Ait-Mouheb, David Crevoisier, Chiara Pistocchi
Přispěvatelé: Ecologie fonctionnelle et biogéochimie des sols et des agro-écosystèmes (UMR Eco&Sols), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro)-Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement (Institut Agro), University of Birmingham [Birmingham], Gestion de l'Eau, Acteurs, Usages (UMR G-EAU), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM) (BRGM)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-AgroParisTech-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, Laboratoire d'étude des Interactions Sol - Agrosystème - Hydrosystème (UMR LISAH), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut Agro Montpellier, This work was supported by Institut Agro Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Environmental Science and Pollution Research
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2023, ⟨10.1007/s11356-023-26895-5⟩
ISSN: 0944-1344
1614-7499
Popis: Human urine concentrates 85% of the nitrogen and 65% of the phosphorus excreted by humans, making it a potential alternative crop fertilizer. However, knowledge gaps remain on the fate of nitrogen in situations favouring NH3 volatilisation and on the availability of P from urine. This study aimed at identifying the fate of nitrogen and phosphorus supplied by human urine from source separation toilets in a calcareous soil. To this end, a spinach crop was fertilized with 2 different doses of human urine (170 kgN.ha-1 + 8.5kgP.ha-1 and 510 kgN.ha-1 + 25.5 kgP.ha-1) and compared with a chemical fertiliser treatment (170 kgN.ha-1 + 8.5kgP.ha-1) and a water treatment. The experiment was conducted in 4 soil tanks (50 cm depth) in greenhouse conditions, according to a randomized block scheme. We monitored soil mineral nitrogen over time and simulated nitrogen volatilisation using Hydrus-1D and Visual Minteq softwares. We also monitored soil phosphorus pools, microbial biomass CNP, soil pH and electrical conductivity. Only an excessive input of urine affected soil pH (decreasing it by 0.2 units) and soil conductivity (increasing it by 183%). The phosphorus supplied was either taken up by the crop or remained in the available P pool. Ammonium seemed to be nitrified within about 10 days after application. However, both Visual Minteq and Hydrus models estimated that more than 50% of the nitrogen supplied was lost by ammonia volatilisation. Overall, our results indicate that direct application of urine to a calcareous soil is possible without harming soil properties, but that heavy losses of volatilised nitrogen are to be expected.
Databáze: OpenAIRE