A modelling approach to prepare synthetic urine for struvite precipitation studies

Saeede Soltani; Leynard Natividad-Marin; Philip Andrew Schneider

doi:10.2166/wst.2023.157

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A modelling approach to prepare synthetic urine for struvite precipitation studies

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

A modelling approach to prepare synthetic urine for struvite precipitation studies

Saeede Soltani, Leynard Natividad-Marin and Philip Andrew Schneider

Water science and technology, Vol.87(11), 2622

2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/wst.2023.157

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Abstract

Engineering

Engineering, Environmental

Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences & Ecology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Physical Sciences

Science & Technology

Technology

Water Resources

Nutrient recovery from wastewater is an effective strategy to prevent eutrophication and provide value for the treatment process. Human urine is a small but highly nutrient-rich stream in the total flux of domestic wastewater from which struvite (MgNH4PO4.6H2O) could be recovered and used as a fertiliser. Consequently, synthetic urine was used in most struvite precipitation studies, due to biohazard issues in real human urine. A modelling approach was developed to formulate synthetic urine recipes based on elemental urine composition, using matrix solving strategy to select and quantify chemical salts for synthetic urine preparation. The model also included mass balance, chemical speciation, and equilibrium dissociation expression for solution thermodynamics predictions in the formulated urine. In this study, synthetic solutions of fresh and stored urine were assessed with this model using Engineering Equation Solver (EES) software to calculate the quantity of salts, pH, ionic strength, and struvite saturation index. Simulation results in EES were successfully verified using PHREEQC simulations, while model validation comprised the examination of urine composition with their reported recipes.

Details

Title: A modelling approach to prepare synthetic urine for struvite precipitation studies
Authors/Creators: Saeede Soltani - Murdoch University
Leynard Natividad-Marin - James Cook Univ, Coll Sci & Engn, 1 James Cook Dr, Douglas, Qld 4811, Australia
Philip Andrew Schneider - Murdoch University
Publication Details: Water science and technology, Vol.87(11), 2622
Publisher: IWA Publishing
Number of pages: 12
Grant note: Murdoch Strategic Scholarship (MSS) Murdoch University College of Science and Engineering at James Cook University
Identifiers: 991005585970007891
Murdoch Affiliation: College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
Language: English
Resource Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Citation topics: 3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology; 3.83 Bioengineering; 3.83.2268 Struvite
Web Of Science research areas: Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences; Water Resources
ESI research areas: Environment/Ecology