Source separation of urine presents a viable way to produce sustainable fertilizer while reducing water consumption and energy costs at water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs); additionally, separating urine at the source diverts a concentrated stream of micropollutants that can be difficult to address in WRRFs and water reuse facilities. However, several stakeholders’ expressed concerns over the possibility of consuming crops contaminated with pharmaceuticals stemming from urine-derived fertilizers (UDFs). The overarching goal of this research was to assess and address chemical risks associated with wastewater recycling and the use of source separated urine as a fertilizer. Our results indicate that experimental intake fractions and exposure quotients of pharmaceuticals in lettuce grown by UDFs are less than 1%, suggesting limited risk from consumption of UDF grown crops. Our research on removing pharmaceuticals from the concentrated urine stream demonstrates that plasma oxidation is a viable treatment strategy. Specifically, our results show that plasma oxidation provides consistent removal across different urine matrixes. These research projects focused on a subset of organic chemicals present in urine; however, there are large quantities of chemicals of concern that are present in urine and wastewater that are not captured in targeted studies. We implemented cell-based bioassays to supplement existing chemical monitoring methods by screening for several chemical classes by their specific toxic modes of action. I will discuss the implications this research has in other areas where trace organic contaminants are of interest, such as indirect potable reuse scenarios.
All seminars begin at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-04:00).