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Title Urine and grey water based liquid fertilizer-Production and the response of plants
ID_Doc 23476
Authors Jurga, A; Ratkiewicz, K; Wdowikowska, A; Reda, M; Janicka, M; Chohura, P; Janiak, K
Title Urine and grey water based liquid fertilizer-Production and the response of plants
Year 2023
Published
DOI 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117248
Abstract Plant cultivation is a key aspect of future long-distance space missions, and the creation of an efficient food system will not be possible without it. The production of fertilizer in space is based on the recovery of water and nutrients from wastewater, such as urine and grey water. In this study, the fertilizer production process was conducted in an aerobic, activated sludge reactor, where nitrification and the process of carbon removal take place. Treated streams have three potential factors that could affect the plants growth in a hydroponic system (anionic surfactants, nutrients deficiencies, high salinity). The effect of these factors was examined for two hy-droponic configurations. Their influence on lettuce yield, quality parameters and stress response were investi-gated and compared to the control cultivation. The results showed that the main cause of a decrease (up to 24%) in the yield productivity of plants grown on nitrified urine and grey water is oxidative stress originated from a deficiency of elements, not from used anionic surfactant. Enrichment with nutrients resulted in the restoration of proper protein synthesis and an increase in the activity of antioxidant enzymes, which was positively reflected in the qualitative and quantitative parameters of the enriched cultivation (fresh leaves mass equal to 103% of the control). Results also show that Sodium Methyl Cocoyl Taurate (SMCT) surfactant itself after biological treatment used in plant cultivation has no negative effects reflected in lettuce yield or quality.
Author Keywords Hydroponics; Sustainable management; Circular economy; Resource recovery
Index Keywords Index Keywords
Document Type Other
Open Access Open Access
Source Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED)
EID WOS:000923739800001
WoS Category Environmental Sciences
Research Area Environmental Sciences & Ecology
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