From the FECYT – Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology comes this hilarious bit of news pushed as serious science. I like the idea of a “potion”. It fits right up there with some of the other crazy CO2 sequestration ideas we’ve seen. Sounds like a pee bargain to me.
A urine based ‘potion’ can act as a CO2 absorbent
The ocean, the ground, rocks and trees act as carbon drains but are far from places where greenhouses gases are concentrated, especially CO2. A Spanish researcher has proposed human, agricultural and livestock waste, such as urine, as a way to absorb this gas.
Absorbing the large quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases present in cities would require millions of tonnes of some naturally occurring substance. A study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials suggests urine as a reactive. As a resource available across all human societies, it is produced in large quantities and is close to the pollution hubs of large cities.
“For every molecule of urea in urine, one mole (a chemical unit used to measure the quantity of a substance) of ammonium bicarbonate is produced along with one mole of ammonia, which could be used to absorb one mole of atmospheric CO2,” as explained to SINC by the author of the study, Manuel Jiménez Aguilar of the Institute of Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training of the Regional Government of Andalusia.
After absorbing the CO2 another unit of ammonium bicarbonate is produced, which is used in China as a nitrogen fertilizer for 30 years. Jiménez Aguilar points out that “if applied to basic-calcium rich soils this would produce calcium carbonate thus encouraging gas-fixation in the ground.
To avoid the urine from decomposing, the researcher suggests the possibility of including a small proportion of olive waste water (a black, foul-smelling liquid obtained from spinning the ground olive paste). This acts as a preservative. The researcher confirms that “the urine-CO2-olive waste water could be considered an NPK fertilizer (ammonia-nitrate-phosphorous-potassium).”
The result is that the urine mixed with a small percentage of olive waste water can absorb various grams of CO2 per litre in a stable manner and over more than six months. According to Jiménez Aguilar, “CO2 emissions could be reduced by 1%.”
The fluid created can be inserted into domestic and industrial chimneys (reconverted into containers to accumulate the urine-olive waste water mixture) so that the greenhouse gas passes through the liquid, increasing the pressure exerted on the CO2 and thus increasing its absorption capacity.
As the scientist makes clear “these containers or chimneys should have a urine filling and emptying system and a control system to detect when the mixture has become saturated with gas.” When taken out of the chimney, the urine is stored in another container or can be channelled for its distribution and use as an agricultural fertilizer.
Making the most of urine
By applying this methodology as a greenhouse gas absorbent, the way in which industrialised countries use waste water and solid waste would never be the same again. The author hints that the whole water and waste treatment system would be reviewed to adapt newly built areas to a waste recycling and waste management system.
“In developing countries this nutrient recovery system could be implemented thanks to its environmental advantages,” says the expert.
Furthermore, urine recycling in every home would allow for nutrients to be recovered, leading to a lesser need for artificial fertilizers. Jiménez emphasises that “if urine and faeces are recycled there and then, as much as 20 litres of water per person per day could be saved and this would reduce waste water treatment costs.”
The study suggests that urine should be recycled for it to be used as fertilizer liquid and that faeces should be treated with solid organic waste to produce compost or solid fertilizers. The researcher also states in another study that is pending publication that the urine-olive waste water mixture can also be used to reduce the CO2 and NOx emissions of vehicles.
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VIDEO:
References:
Jiménez Aguilar, Manuel. “Urine as a CO2 absorbent” Journal of Hazardous Materials 213: 502-504 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2012.01.087, 30 April 2012.
This has got to be someone trying to pull the Skeptics’ chain(s)??
Johnr
Is it April Fool’s Day already? 🙂
Insert urine into chimneys? I don’t think so. Every kid that has ever been around a campfire knows what happens when…
Pi$$ on that idea… lol
Ironically this may not be a horrible idea… assuming the maths work out. The problem comes down to logistics.
The only way this would have a hope of breaking even/profiting is if you basically build coal plants in major US cities. That is the only place you can easily get waste on the scale needed. They would then need to create a pipeline to the country to be able to sell the waste without huge cost of transport.
The other option is a hybrid hydroponics system. However as soon as the government goes anywhere near such a system it will cost 5x more then it should.
Without government involved(which is pretty much impossible) this idea might have some merit. However currently its just pie in the sky theory right now.
Excellent. From now on I’m not going out to the bar so I can walk home on my lips. I’m sequestering carbon and raising fuel costs for all those planet destroyers that think 80 proof should be automotive fuel.
And I no longer have to worry about catching a felony sex charge for dropping trou and relieving my bladder by a dumpster on the way home. If a friendly member of the local constabulary should inquire as to my behaviour I shall simply inform him that I am fixating carbon dioxide to save the planet for him and his offspring.
Though I imagine the uniformed sort would start calling a breathalyzer sustainable wind-powered energy generation. In fact, I wonder if someone hasn’t gotten around to patenting the idea yet.
This is taking the p*ss.
The author either has a subtle sense of humor or is seriously loco in la cabasa. Urea, the primary waste product in human urine, has a formula of NH2-CO-NH2 so that, when it reacts with water, it forms ammonium carbonate and ammonia-a gas that readily dissolves in water. If you’ve ever had to open a diaper bucket (before the Luv generation) you’re well aware of this reaction as the ammonia rush can be strong enough to knock you back. To make his system work, you would have to insure that the ammonia remains in solution and introduce CO2 over the solution so it can react to form more ammonium carbonate. Good luck on that one. You can make his idea work but , I don’t think there’s much olive waste lying around most of the world and the smell of decomposing urine is not one of my favorites. Essentially, he’s proposing that we make every urban area-big producers of both CO2 and urine-into the urban equivalent of a industrial pig farm. I guess no sacrifice is too much to defeat that bogeyman CO2. It really pisses me off.
I sure hope that none my tax dollars (US) went into this study. Talk about money down the drain!
I’m not clear whether you use the urine after you’ve washed your face with it.
What is Spanish for” pull the other leg.”?
Even if there was a need to do something like this, it would require a doubling the wastewater plumbing and wastewater plants. How else are you going to separate urine from the rest of what goes down the drain? Every bathroom would need two “thrones”. Jumping (scooting?) from one to the other depending on what was going on? Flush that!
Isn’t this awfully close to what Bill Gates is funding?
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2012/08/15/158874028/bill-gates-crowns-toilet-innovators-at-sanitation-fair
Hey! Leave us alone. We are fighting with the evil CO2 with their own weapons, stinking urine. It’s a winning move. Oh, god!
Everybody has to bring a bucket full to the municipal collection center…..
There are 50 gallon drums and funnels waiting. For each bucket, you will
get one carbon pollution credit point and with 365 points you are allowed
to breeze 1 full year…. no problem at all….we do all things the green way…..
Amr marzouk says:
August 17, 2012 at 3:21 pm
What is Spanish for” pull the other leg.”?
“tire de la otra pierna”
“For every molecule of urea in urine, one mole (a chemical unit used to measure the quantity of a substance) of ammonium bicarbonate is produced along with one mole of ammonia, which could be used to absorb one mole of atmospheric CO2,”
A mole is 6.022 x 10^23. So one molecule of urea produces 6.022 x 10^23 molecules of ammonium bicarbonate? That is more than the number of stars in the universe! Something smells!
First time I get to be first comment, and it has to be a piss-take article. Sheesh!!!!!
[Not only that, but you weren’t first. ~dbs, mod.]
As a lifelong environmentalist, I’ve always been irritated at being forced to pollute our sewer system (and ultimately the ocean when the sewer overflows) with noxious liquid waste. I’ve always wanted to fertilize the plants instead with these pure and nourishing fluids. As a public service. I’ve been able to do this out in the dry and barren desert, at least when I can identify certain plants that I feel definitely deserve what I have to offer (not all that I see do qualify). Now it just may become socially acceptable to “sequester” my concerns in this way in the urban zone as well, as was already eloquently stated by another commenter above.
It’s nice to see warmers now “thinking outside the bowl”, if not “outside the box”. Luckily the local Italian restaurant uses its unwanted “olive black” as fertilizer in the flower beds in front of the building. I’ll be watching for the phizzz, just in case the chemical reaction starts prematurely. I’ll be ready to run if I see a pot smoker or a Bogart-type coming by, also environmentally responsible, reluctant to throw a still smoldering butt or blunt into the gutter.
New slogan for the alarmists: “Recycle your carbon or urine real trouble!”
Werner Brozek says:
August 17, 2012 at 3:48 pm
“For every molecule of urea in urine…”
I really hope that is a typo.
As Werner Brozek says:
“…So one molecule of urea produces 6.022 x 10^23 molecules of ammonium bicarbonate? ”
If they intended “mol of urea” it might make sense, if not, they are creating something from nothing.
Nah,they’re pissing into the wind.
“A Spanish researcher has proposed human, agricultural and livestock waste, such as urine, as a way to absorb this gas.”
=============================================
We should double our pissing immediately!
Do not just take a piss, take two!
Let us piss the “warming” away!
LOL
Budweiser is going to love this! 🙂
Werner Brozek says:
August 17, 2012 at 3:48 pm
I’m not familiar with the chemistry, but “mole” would read a lot better than molecule. it even sounds like what DanJ is describing.
Of course, if molecule is right, then I’d be glad to support a foreign aid project where the USA makes enough molecule of urea to provide every man woman and child two molecules (to have a spare if they lose the first) or more and ship them to each federal government for distribution.