Scientific studies on Human Urine

Bottle it up! We can use it!

This is a visual representation of Ph.D thesis Studies on the effect of anthropogenic liquid waste (ALW) on soil properties and crop growth by G.Sridevi (PAK 5072). The research was conducted at Department of Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and submitted in October 2008. Financial support for this thesis was provided

by Arghyam Foundation.

ALW = Anthropogenic Liquid Waste = Human Urine

scientific method

a method of procedure that has characterized natural science

since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation,

measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing,

and modification of hypotheses.

- Oxford Dictionary

Hypothesis Test Observe Inference

Application of ALW* as a nutrient source has a positive impact on soil properties and crop growth.

Tested on •Changes in soil parameters with varying ALW concentrations. •Comparative study of maize & banana crop growth with varying treatment with fertilizer , ALW & different ALW combinations.

•Pot experiment with radish plants.

A combination of ALW + gypsum gives crop growth results at par (partially higher) with recommended dose of fertilizer.

SCIENTIFIC METHOD IN THIS STUDY

*ALW - Anthropogenic Liquid Waste (Urine)

**REQUIRED

1 Billion

N

K

P P

N

ALW IN NUMBERS

1.37 liters/day 500 liters /year

kg

kg

kg

million tons

million tons

million tons K

gene

rate

d in

a y

ear

*WASTED

million tons

million tons

million tons

NPK consumption in Agriculture in India

N-Nitrogen | P- Phosphorus | K-Potassium

ALW

12th Century CHINA

Recycled ALW for farming

12th Century JAPAN Recycled ALW for farming

18th Century NEPAL

ALW used for growing fodder crops

2003 INDIA

ALW used as fertilizer for potatoes and

chillies in Manipur

1990s SOUTH AFRICA Compost latrines

and ALW diverting system introduced

2003 NETHERLANDS

ALW integrated Ecosan projects

INSTANCES OF ALW USAGE

EXPERIMENT DESIGN (Completely Randomized)

Protocol Development

PHASE I PHASE II

Application of ALW

ALW treatment of soil • Incubation studies • Lab Analysis

+ ALW

+ ALW

+ ALW

+ ALW

Hypothesis Test Observe Inference

F

G

U

ALW

Water

Fertilizer

Gypsum

Urea

T1 —

T2 —

T3 —

T4 —

T5 —

T1—

T2 —

T3 —

T4 —

T5 —

T6 —

T7 —

T8 —

F

G

in splits

G in splits

U U U

U U U G

RDN

G

Recommended dose of nitrogen

RD

N

supp

lied

by

Effect of ALW on soil studied by treating soil with various dilutions of

ALW and water (T1,T2…T5)

Effect of ALW on maize and banana crop studied separately by treating the

crops with various dilutions of ALW, water, urea, gypsum & fertilizer

separately (T1,T2…T8) Plot size: Gross- 7.2 m2

Net- 3.24 m2

Effect of ALW studied in potted radish plants alone. Only nitrogen (N) supplied as nutrient source through ALW(dosage based on RDN). Doses given in

combination of dilution and splits.

Lab study

Field study

Potted plant study

PHASE III

Data interpretation &

Statistical analysis

0 2 4 6 8

Tap water(T1)

ALW(T2)

1 ALW :1 Water(T3)

1 ALW :2 Water(T4)

1 ALW: 3 Water(T5)

0 0.5 1 1.5 2

Tap water(T1)

ALW(T2)

1 ALW :1 Water(T3)

1 ALW :2 Water(T4)

1 ALW: 3 Water(T5)

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

Tap water(T1)

ALW(T2)

1 ALW :1 Water(T3)

1 ALW :2 Water(T4)

1 ALW: 3 Water(T5)

pH

Elec

tric

al C

ondu

ctiv

ity

Org

anic

Car

bon

Con

tent

0 50 100 150

0 5 10 15 20

0 200 400 600

0 10 20 30

0 20 40 60

0 1 2 3

Nitr

ogen

P

hosp

horu

s P

otas

sium

Zinc

Ir

on

Cop

per

SOIL CHARACTERISTICS

MACRO NUTRIENTS

MICRO NUTRIENTS

ALW EFFECT ON SOIL Hypothesis

Test

Observe

Inference •Mean value of each parameter is plotted against dilutions T1- T5 •Macro nutrients expressed in percentage. •Micro nutrients expressed in mg/Kg

Hypothesis

Test

Observe

Inference

ALW EFFECT ON MAIZE MACRO NUTRIENTS

MICRO NUTRIENTS

Nitr

ogen

P

hosp

horu

s P

otas

sium

1.8 2 2.2

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 6 split irrigations +

gypsum(T6)

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 6 split irrigations +

gypsum(T6)

1.2 1.4 1.6

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 6 split irrigations +

gypsum(T6)

0 20 40 60 80

0 50 100

0 10 20 30

Zinc

Ir

on

Cop

per

EFFECT ON COB SIZE

25.66

35.58 30.55

43.36

0

10

20

30

40

50

Control(T1) Fertilizer(T2) ALW(T3) ALW in 6 split

irrigations + gypsum(T6)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 6 split

irrigations + …

Cost Benefit

CULTIVATION ECONOMICS (C:B)

•Mean value of each parameter is plotted against dilutions T1,T2,T3 &T6 •Macro nutrients expressed in percentage of maize grain •Micro nutrients expressed in mg/Kg

ALW EFFECT ON BANANA N

itrog

en

Pho

spho

rus

Pot

assi

um

Zinc

Ir

on

Cop

per

Hypothesis

Test

Observe

Inference

EFFECT ON YIELD/HA

CULTIVATION ECONOMICS (C:B)

19.93

28.41

24.92

30

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Control(T1) Fertilizer(T2) ALW(T3) ALW in 6 split

irrigations + gypsum(T6)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 6 split

irrigations …

Cost Benefit

•Mean value of each parameter is plotted against dilutions T1,T2,T3 &T6 •Macro nutrients expressed in percentage of banana fruit •Micro nutrients expressed in mg/Kg

0 0.5 1 1.5 2

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 8 split irrigations +

gypsum(T6)

0 0.2 0.4 0.6

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 8 split irrigations +

gypsum(T6)

0 1 2

Control(T1)

Fertilizer(T2)

ALW(T3)

ALW in 8 split irrigations +

gypsum(T6)

0 10 20 30 40

0 100 200 300 400

0 10 20 30 40

MACRO NUTRIENTS

MICRO NUTRIENTS

ALW EFFECT ON RADISH Hypothesis

Test

Observe

Inference

22.67

30.51 31.51 30.29 31.12 28.97 29.73

26.23 26.33

31.28 32.34 34.92 35.02

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

59.73

126 125.28 118.5 120.99

111.27 111.93

86.58 97.95

130.23 142.65

142.83 153.84

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Effect on Plant Height (in cm)

Effect on Root Yield (g/ plant)

Hypothesis

Test

Observe

Inference

INFERENCE

in splits G

on

1. Shows healthier crop growth

2. Builds higher nutrient content and mass in the grain/fruit/root of the respective crops.

3. Cost- Benefit ratio marginally better than chemical fertilizer

What does the data suggest?

ALW

8 splits 6 splits