Surendra K. Pradhan

Stored Human Urine Supplemented with Wood Ash as Fertilizer in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Cultivation and Its Impacts on Fruit Yield and Quality

This study evaluates the use of human urine and wood ash as fertilizers for tomato cultivation in a greenhouse. Tomatoes were cultivated in pots and treated with 135 kg of N/ha applied as mineral fertilizer, urine + ash, urine only, and control (no fertilization). The urine fertilized plants produced equal amounts of tomato fruits as mineral fertilized plants and 4.2 times more fruits than nonfertilized plants. The levels of lycopene were similar in tomato fruits from all fertilization treatments, but the amount of soluble sugars was lower and Cl(-) was higher in urine + ash fertilized tomato fruits. The beta-carotene content was greater and the NO(3)(-) content was lower in urine fertilized tomato fruits. No enteric indicator microorganisms were detected in any tomato fruits. The results suggest that urine with/without wood ash can be used as a substitute for mineral fertilizer to increase the yields of tomato without posing any microbial or chemical risks.

Human Urine and Wood Ash as Plant Nutrients for Red Beet (Beta vulgaris) Cultivation: Impacts on Yield Quality

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of human urine and wood ash fertilization on the yield and quality of red beet by measuring the microbial, nutrient, and antioxidant (betanin) content of the roots. Red beets were fertilized with 133 kg of N/ha as mineral fertilizer, urine and ash, and only urine with no fertilizer as a control. The mineral-fertilized plants and urine- and ash-fertilized plants also received 89 kg of P/ha. Urine and ash and only urine fertilizer produced 1720 and 656 kg/ha more root biomass, respectively, versus what was obtained from the mineral fertilizer. Few fecal coliforms and coliphage were detected in mineral-fertilized and urine- and ash-fertilized red beet roots. The protein and betanin contents in red beet roots were similar in all treatments. In conclusion, this study revealed that urine with or without ash can increase the yield of red beet and furthermore the microbial quality and chemical quality were similar to the situation in mineral-fertilized products.

Fertilizer value of urine in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.) cultivation.

Puhtaan virtsan lannoitearvoa tutkittiin kurpitsan kasvatuksessakayttamalla 113 kg typpea hehtaaria kohden. Verranteina olivat lannoittamatta jattaminen ja mineraalilannoittaminen. Virtsalannoitettuna kurpitsan varsisto kasvoi pidemmaksi kuin mineraalilannoitettuna tai lannoittamattomana. Kuitenkin mineraalilannoitus tuotti enemman satoa kuin virtsalannoitus tai lannoittamatta jattaminen. On mahdollista, etta virtsalannoitettuna kurpitsat karsivat kaliumin puutteesta, silla niihin kehittyi vahemman kukkia ja siten myos vahemman hedelmia kuin mineraalilannoitettuihin kurpitsoihin. Virtsalla lannoitetusta maasta saatiin kurpitsasatoa 17,2 tonnia hehtaarilta enemman kuin lannoittamattomasta maasta saatiin. Kaikilla tavoin lannoitettujen kurpitsamaiden sadon mikrobiologinen laatu oli moitteeton ja maku seka sokeri- ja valkuaisainepitoisuudet olivat yhtalaisia. Virstalannoitetuissa maissa kasvaneissa kurpitsoissa oli vahemman nitraattia, mutta enemman kloridia kuin mineraalilannoitetuissa tai lannoittamattomissa maissa kasvaneissa kurpitsoissa. Tutkimuksen mukaan virtsa kurpitsan kasvualustan lannoitteena ei aiheuta sadolle kemiallisia tai hygieenisia haittoja, ja virtsalannoitus tuottaa paremman sadon kuin lannoittamatta jattaminen. Kuitenkin mineraalilannoitus tuotti tutkimuksen verranteista suurimman sadon.

Nitrogen reduction in wastewater treatment using different anox-circulation flow rates and ethanol as a carbon source.

We studied the optimization of nitrogen reduction from municipal wastewater in a laboratory‐scale modified Ludzack‐Ettinger activated sludge wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). The unit consisted of primary denitrification, secondary nitrification, a sludge clarifier and a post‐denitrification unit. The process simulates the Kuopio WWTP, which provided the influent utilized. We describe the effect of varying anox‐circulation schemes on the nitrogen removal efficiency. We further compare the denitrification efficiencies of ethanol and methanol applied in the post‐denitrification unit, and compare the properties and costs of these chemicals as carbon sources. Maximum efficiency of total nitrogen removal (70.8%) was obtained with 256% anox‐circulation. The process was, however, not very sensitive, as a wide range of 150–400% of anox‐circulations gave good results for nitrogen reduction. The unit achieved high BOD7 and COD reductions of wastewater also when nitrogen reduction was moderate. The addition of 40 mg/L/day of ethanol to the post‐denitrification tank meant that the nitrate‐levels of effluent could be controlled to below 10 mg/L of nitrate nitrogen. Methanol and ethanol were equally effective for denitrification. The use of ethanol instead of methanol could reduce treatment costs by 30% to 0.02 €/m3 of treated wastewater according to 2008 market prices.