Global potential and benefits of nitrogen recovery by re-coupling human excreta as part of agricultural system

文献类型： 外文期刊

第一作者： Zheng, Li

作者： Zheng, Li;Zhang, Qingwen;Jing, Xuekai;Shi, Yulong;Liu, Yu;Jing, Xuekai;Hussain, Hafiz Athar

作者机构：

关键词： Human excreta; Nitrogen recovery; Sanitation technology; Synthetic fertilizer; Substitution potential

期刊名称：PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION （ 影响因子：7.8； 五年影响因子：7.7 ）

ISSN： 0957-5820

年卷期： 2024 年 191 卷

页码：

收录情况： SCI

摘要： The recognition of human excreta as a nitrogen resource in agriculture provides new options for enhancing nitrogen management in a sustainable manner. Nevertheless, a thorough analysis of the global potential of nitrogen derived from human excreta remains lacking. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study compiled a panel dataset, considering various sanitation technologies, to quantify the theoretical potential of available nitrogen from human excreta across 183 countries from 2000 to 2020. Structural Equations Modeling (SEM) was employed to identify key factors influencing nitrogen availability from human excreta, and to delve deeper into its potential and benefits as a viable substitute for synthetic fertilizer. Additionally, scenarios analysis was conducted to explore the future potential for global nitrogen utilization from human excreta under population growth and sanitation upgrades. The study's findings unveiled that global human excreta generated 31.8 Mt N. yr(-1) of nitrogen in 2020, with 23.3 Mt N.yr(-1) potentially recoverable after sanitary treatment. This represents a respective increase of 26.7 % and 17.7 % since 2000. In the two most populous countries, India and China, the available nitrogen amounts to 4.3 and 4.1 Mt N.yr(-1), respectively, substantially surpassing that of other countries with populations over 100 million, such as the United States, Russia, Indonesia, Brazil, and Pakistan, each with recoverable amounts below 1Mt N.yr(-1). Globally, the potential for nitrogen recovery from human excreta varies by regions and is influenced by factors such as population size, economy, urbanization, and sanitation conditions. In African countries, where agricultural systems face significant nitrogen deficiencies, the potential use of nitrogen from human excrement is equivalent to that of chemical fertilizer application. Based on 2020 data, it is estimated that replacing synthetic fertilizers with human excreta could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 123.8 Mt CO2-eq yr(-1), providing a total annual benefit of $61.6 billion. Looking ahead, future projections under three prospective policy scenarios indicate a consistent upward trend in global nitrogen availability from human excreta, with potential benefits projected to reach $75.2 billion by 2060. Developing countries with large populations are the primary contributors of nitrogen recovery from human excreta, while developed regions with advanced sanitation systems demonstrate significant potential for utilizing innovative technologies to enhance nitrogen recovery.

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