Enhanced bio-minerals production using catalysts to accelerate resource recovery in wastewater treatment plants

从废水和其他废物中回收营养资源是21世纪的挑战。磷是一种有限的资源，正以惊人的速度用于化肥生产，以确保农业生产力和粮食供应。磷被称为“正在消失的营养物质”。另一方面，城市污水和尿液含有大量的营养物质，可以在一系列行业中回收和重复使用。磷化合物(例如：鸟粪石；磷酸镁等)的生物晶体形成已被证明是环境中常见的特定细菌新陈代谢的副产品。克兰菲尔德大学最近展示了选定的细菌从废水中产生生物矿物质的能力。该项目的目的是推进从废水和尿液中生产生物矿物的工艺。

Nutrient resource recovery from wastewater and other waste streams is a challenge of the 21st century. Phosphorus is a finite resource being used at alarming rates for fertiliser production to secure agricultural productivity and food supply. Phosphorus has been named the 'disappearing nutrient'. On the other side, municipal wastewater and urine contain significant amounts of nutrients that can be recovered and reused in a range of industries. Biological crystal formation of phosphorus compounds (e.g.: struvite; magnesium phosphate, etc.), has been demonstrated to be a by-product of the metabolism of specific bacteria that can be found frequently in the environment. The ability of selected bacteria to produce bio-minerals from wastewater has been recently demonstrated at Cranfield University. The aim of the project is to advance the process for bio-mineral production from wastewater and urine.