Urine Recycling into Beneficial Agricultural Nanofertilizers (URBAN): Turning waste into GOLD

Human urine has the potential to be a promising alternative to chemical fertilizers due to its nutrient richness, easy availability, and environmental friendliness. Significant challenges limit the widespread adoption of urine-based fertilizers, such as not being able to recover all the nutrients, the risk of pharmaceutical contamination, and low nutrient efficiency. URBAN-GOLD project will tackle these obstacles by establishing an innovative system that combines urine recycling and in situ nano-fertilizer production, bridging the gap between urine recycling and nano-agrochemistry. The project will leverage my urine recycling technology to transform human urine into a safe and viable raw fertilizer and host’s advanced nano-fertilizer synthesis technology to develop it into controlled-release nano-fertilizer (Urine-NF), effectively turning the waste into a valuable resource. Secondments to Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and NovaMechanics Ltd (NovaM) will equip me with essential skills in nitrogen isotope tracing and machine learning for nutrient efficiency evaluation (QMUL) and quality control of Urine-NF (NovaM). This project not only enhances the safety and efficiency of urine-based fertilizers through first-ever integration of urine recovery technology with nano-agrochemistry but also equips me to become an independent scientist specializing in nutrient recycling for sustainable agriculture. The project aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 2 and 6) and the European Green Deal, fostering nutrient cycling while contributing to global food security and environmental sustainability.