CCR Seminar: Stabilization of Source-separated Urine Using Electrosynthesis Technology to Enable Nutrient Recovery

Abstract: Human urine accounts for 70–90% of nitrogen (N) and 50–65% of phosphorus (P) in domestic wastewater, despite representing only ~1% of its total volume. Source-separating and treating urine in its concentrated form offers an opportunity to reduce nutrient loads on centralized wastewater treatment plants while enabling N and P recovery. However, urea, the dominant N compound in urine, rapidly hydrolyzes after collection, producing ammonia that causes nitrogen loss, odor, and precipitation challenges. Most widely studied stabilization methods, such as acid or base addition, present safety concerns due to the need for immediate dosing. To address this, we have developed an electrosynthesis approach that generates hydrogen peroxide in situ within source-separated urine immediately upon collection, preventing urea hydrolysis. This presentation will describe the progression of our work, from small-scale electrochemical cells with synthetic urine to larger-scale studies with real urine simulating restroom collection systems. Through a combination of targeted experiments and…