Efficient nutrient recovery from source-separated urine via a hybrid Membrane Bioreactor and Electrodialysis (MBR-ED) system

Yu, H; Sohn, W; Phuntsho, S; Kim, Y; Choi, J-S; Lee, J-H; Choi, Y; Shon, HK

Efficient nutrient recovery from source-separated urine via a hybrid Membrane Bioreactor and Electrodialysis (MBR-ED) system

Yu, H

Sohn, W Phuntsho, S Kim, Y Choi, J-S Lee, J-H Choi, Y Shon, HK

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Publisher:: Elsevier
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Desalination, 2026, 634, pp. 120291
Issue Date:: 2026-09

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Yu, H https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6509-5408
dc.contributor.author	Sohn, W
dc.contributor.author	Phuntsho, S
dc.contributor.author	Kim, Y
dc.contributor.author	Choi, J-S
dc.contributor.author	Lee, J-H
dc.contributor.author	Choi, Y
dc.contributor.author	Shon, HK
dc.date.accessioned	2026-06-09T01:38:56Z
dc.date.available	2026-06-09T01:38:56Z
dc.date.issued	2026-09
dc.identifier.citation	Desalination, 2026, 634, pp. 120291
dc.identifier.issn	0011-9164
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195259
dc.description.abstract	Nutrient recovery from source-separated human urine represents a promising pathway for sustainable fertilizer production within a circular economy framework. In this study, a hybrid membrane-based system integrating a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and electrodialysis (ED) was developed for efficient recovery and concentration of inorganic nutrients (N, P, and K). Hydrolyzed urine was first treated using an aerobic MBR to stabilize nitrogen and reduce organic content, producing a permeate with a stable ionic composition suitable for downstream electrochemical processing. The MBR permeate was subsequently concentrated by ED under acidic and near-neutral operating conditions. High removal efficiencies of 91–98% for nitrate, 89–97% for ammonium, and 87–97% for potassium were achieved in the diluate compartment. Under near-neutral conditions, final concentration factors reached 10.8 for potassium, 10.3 for ammonium, and 9.3 for nitrate, corresponding to a 9.2-fold increase in TDS. Solution pH plays a critical role in governing ion transport behavior, with near-neutral operation enabling higher final enrichment of monovalent nutrient ions. Compared with conventional thermal distillation, ED reduced apparent nutrient-normalized specific energy consumption from 626 to 8.5 kWh/kg for potassium, from 306 to 12.6 kWh/kg for ammonium, from 291 to 19.3 kWh/kg for nitrate, and from 5321 to 358.9 kWh/kg for phosphate, representing one to two orders of magnitude improvement in energy efficiency. These results demonstrate that functional integration of MBR conditioning and ED concentration enables high-degree nutrient enrichment with substantially lower energy demand, highlighting the potential of integrated membrane processes for decentralized urine valorization and circular fertilizer production.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Elsevier
dc.relation	http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/IH210100001
dc.relation.ispartof	Desalination
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.desal.2026.120291
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	03 Chemical Sciences, 09 Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Chemical Engineering
dc.subject.classification	34 Chemical sciences
dc.subject.classification	40 Engineering
dc.title	Efficient nutrient recovery from source-separated urine via a hybrid Membrane Bioreactor and Electrodialysis (MBR-ED) system
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	634
utslib.for	03 Chemical Sciences
utslib.for	09 Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW)
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/UTS Groups/Climate Deep Sector Engagement Area
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-06-09T01:36:29Z
pubs.publication-status	Accepted
pubs.volume	634

Abstract:

Nutrient recovery from source-separated human urine represents a promising pathway for sustainable fertilizer production within a circular economy framework. In this study, a hybrid membrane-based system integrating a membrane bioreactor (MBR) and electrodialysis (ED) was developed for efficient recovery and concentration of inorganic nutrients (N, P, and K). Hydrolyzed urine was first treated using an aerobic MBR to stabilize nitrogen and reduce organic content, producing a permeate with a stable ionic composition suitable for downstream electrochemical processing. The MBR permeate was subsequently concentrated by ED under acidic and near-neutral operating conditions. High removal efficiencies of 91–98% for nitrate, 89–97% for ammonium, and 87–97% for potassium were achieved in the diluate compartment. Under near-neutral conditions, final concentration factors reached 10.8 for potassium, 10.3 for ammonium, and 9.3 for nitrate, corresponding to a 9.2-fold increase in TDS. Solution pH plays a critical role in governing ion transport behavior, with near-neutral operation enabling higher final enrichment of monovalent nutrient ions. Compared with conventional thermal distillation, ED reduced apparent nutrient-normalized specific energy consumption from 626 to 8.5 kWh/kg for potassium, from 306 to 12.6 kWh/kg for ammonium, from 291 to 19.3 kWh/kg for nitrate, and from 5321 to 358.9 kWh/kg for phosphate, representing one to two orders of magnitude improvement in energy efficiency. These results demonstrate that functional integration of MBR conditioning and ED concentration enables high-degree nutrient enrichment with substantially lower energy demand, highlighting the potential of integrated membrane processes for decentralized urine valorization and circular fertilizer production.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195259