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Bertanza G, Abbà A, Alias C, Amatucci A, Binelli A, Castiglioni S, Fossati M, Cruzeiro C, Torre CD, Domini M, Feretti D, Gilioli G, Magni S, Mazzoleni G, Menghini M, Pedrazzani R, Schroeder P, Simonetto A, Steimberg N, Ventura V, Vezzoli S, Zerbini I. To spread or not to spread? Assessing the suitability of sewage sludge and other biogenic wastes for agriculture reuse. MethodsX 2024; 12:102599. [PMID: 38379723 PMCID: PMC10876616 DOI: 10.1016/j.mex.2024.102599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Sewage sludge (biosolids) management represents a worldwide issue. Due to its valuable properties, approximately one half of the EU production is recovered in agriculture. Nevertheless, growing attention is given to potential negative effects deriving from the presence of harmful pollutants. It is recognized that a (even very detailed) chemical characterization is not able to predict ecotoxicity of a mixture. However, this can be directly measured by bioassays. Actually, the choice of the most suitable tests is still under debate. This paper presents a multilevel characterization protocol of sewage sludge and other organic residues, based on bioassays and chemical-physical-microbiological analyses. The detailed description of the experimental procedure includes all the involved steps: the criteria for selecting the organic matrices to be tested and compared; the sample pre-treatment required before the analyses execution; the chemical, physical and microbiological characterisation; the bioassays, grouped in three classes (baseline toxicity; specific mode of action; reactive mode of action); data processing. The novelty of this paper lies in the integrated use of advanced tools, and is based on three pillars:•the direct ecosafety assessment of the matrices to be reused.•the adoption of innovative bioassays and analytical procedures.•the original criteria for data normalization and processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Bertanza
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
- MISTRAL, Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca, Milano Bicocca e Verona “Modelli Integrati di Studio per la Tutela della Salute e la Prevenzione negli Ambienti di Vita e di Lavoro”, Università di Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandro Abbà
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Carlotta Alias
- Dipartimento di Specialità Medico-Chirurgiche, Scienze Radiologiche e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Achille Amatucci
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Andrea Binelli
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, Milano I-20133, Italy
| | - Sara Castiglioni
- Dipartimento Ambiente e Salute, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, IRCCS. Via Mario Negri 2, Milano I-20156, Italy
| | - Marco Fossati
- Dipartimento Ambiente e Salute, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, IRCCS. Via Mario Negri 2, Milano I-20156, Italy
| | - Catarina Cruzeiro
- Helmholtz Zentrum München – Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, Neuherberg D-85764, Germany
| | - Camilla Della Torre
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, Milano I-20133, Italy
| | - Marta Domini
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Donatella Feretti
- MISTRAL, Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca, Milano Bicocca e Verona “Modelli Integrati di Studio per la Tutela della Salute e la Prevenzione negli Ambienti di Vita e di Lavoro”, Università di Brescia, Italy
- Dipartimento di Specialità Medico-Chirurgiche, Scienze Radiologiche e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Gianni Gilioli
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Stefano Magni
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria 26, Milano I-20133, Italy
| | - Giovanna Mazzoleni
- MISTRAL, Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca, Milano Bicocca e Verona “Modelli Integrati di Studio per la Tutela della Salute e la Prevenzione negli Ambienti di Vita e di Lavoro”, Università di Brescia, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Sperimentali, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Viale Europa 11, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Michele Menghini
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 38, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Roberta Pedrazzani
- MISTRAL, Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca, Milano Bicocca e Verona “Modelli Integrati di Studio per la Tutela della Salute e la Prevenzione negli Ambienti di Vita e di Lavoro”, Università di Brescia, Italy
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Industriale, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 38, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Peter Schroeder
- Helmholtz Zentrum München – Deutsches Forschungszentrum für Gesundheit und Umwelt (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstraße 1, Neuherberg D-85764, Germany
| | - Anna Simonetto
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Nathalie Steimberg
- Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Sperimentali, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Viale Europa 11, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Vera Ventura
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Simona Vezzoli
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Civile, Architettura, Territorio e Ambiente e di Matematica, Università degli Studi di Brescia. Via Branze 43, Brescia I-25123, Italy
| | - Ilaria Zerbini
- Dipartimento di Specialità Medico-Chirurgiche, Scienze Radiologiche e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Viale Europa 11, Brescia I-25123, Italy
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Bearth A, Otten CD, Cohen AS. Consumers' perceptions and acceptance of genome editing in agriculture: Insights from the United States of America and Switzerland. Food Res Int 2024; 178:113982. [PMID: 38309884 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.113982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
The terms "New Genomic Techniques" (NGTs) or "Genome Editing" refer to various methods that allow finding, cleaving, and repairing specific sequences in the genome. These techniques could contribute to managing various challenges in plant breeding and agriculture. Aside from regulatory uncertainties, the lack of consumer acceptance has frequently been cited as a significant barrier to the widespread use of NGTs in plant breeding and agriculture across the planet. This study was based on an anonymous online survey (N = 1202). It investigated what consumers from two countries that differ in gene technology regulation, namely the United States of America and Switzerland, thought about three specific applications of NGTs in plant breeding (i.e., blight-resistant potato, gluten-free wheat, cold-resistant soybean). The study highlights the importance of the affect heuristic for acceptance, as half of the participants in both countries expressed positive feelings regarding the three applications, a quarter of the participants expressed negative, and the remaining participants expressed torn or neutral emotions. Some evidence was provided that the regulatory context might have acted as a risk cue, as participants in Switzerland expressed more negative feelings, perceptions, and lower acceptance than participants from the United States of America. Lastly, our findings underscore the importance of a collaboration between the life sciences and social sciences in balancing technological innovations and public perceptions and acceptance, which have been shown in this study to be impacted by affect, values, and context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Bearth
- Consumer Behavior, Institute for Environmental Decisions, ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Alex Segrè Cohen
- Center for Science Communication Research, School of Journalism and Communication, University of Oregon, United States
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McConville JR, Kvarnström E, Aliahmad A, Lennartsson M. Legitimacy of source-separating wastewater systems with Swedish water utilities. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 347:119108. [PMID: 37812900 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Nutrient management is one of the critical challenges for developing sustainable circular economies in cities. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from our food end up in our wastewater and pose an environmental threat when they are released in waterways. Yet, these nutrients are essential for crop production and food security. Hince human excreta contains the bulk of nutrients going through the urban ecosystem. Source separation of excreta from the rest of urban wastewater flows can enable safe and efficient nutrient recovery. Yet, source-separating wastewater systems are not yet common in urban areas. The aim of this study is to assess the legitimacy of source-separating wastewater systems from the perspective of wastewater professionals in Sweden. The study uses interviews and a survey to explore the pragmatic, normative, cognitive and regulatory dimensions of legitimacy and how these aspects can vary between different municipalities. Finally, it looks into possible knowledge-based activities to increase legitimacy. The results from this study show variations in legitimacy levels in urban areas in Sweden. Overall opinion appears to be neutral to the concept rather than negative. Although many see multiple barriers to implementation. Normative legitimacy (moral motivation) was relatively high, while cognitive legitimacy (knowledge & experiences) was lowest. Respondents from organizations where source-separation is being implemented, or they believe that it will be implemented within 10 years, generally saw more drivers and fewer barriers. These innovators were also more interested in knowledge-based activities. Overall recommendations to increase cognitive knowledge regarding source-separating systems among multiple stakeholders seems the most promising path forward to increase legitimacy in the Swedish wastewater sector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer R McConville
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | | | - Abdulhamid Aliahmad
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Maria Lennartsson
- Research and Development Coordinator, City of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Bucholtz P, Steele M, Tripathi V, Graham C, Crane L, Boyer TH. Solar distillation of human urine to recover non-potable water and metal phosphate mineral. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2023; 88:486-501. [PMID: 37522447 PMCID: wst_2023_218 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2023.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Human urine is a readily available nutrient source that can complement commercial fertilizer production, which relies on finite mineral resources and global supply chains. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a simplified solar distillation process for urine to recover phosphorus (P) and nitrogen for agricultural use and water for non-potable purposes. Synthetic fresh, synthetic hydrolyzed, real fresh, and real hydrolyzed urine were exposed to direct sunlight for 6 h in a simple distillation apparatus, which produced distillation bottoms and distillate. Metal phosphate precipitation in the distillation bottoms was evaluated to recover P. The non-potable water was recovered as distillate. Hydrolyzed urine recovered more metal phosphate solid in the distillation bottoms and had a higher conductivity in the distillate than fresh urine. Hydrolyzed urine also achieved greater distillate volume recovery than fresh urine. Hydrolyzed urine had a greater presence of UV-absorbing organics in the distillate than fresh urine and therefore produced a lower-quality product water. There was no significant correlation between the daily high air temperature and the volume of distillate recovered. This study provides a comprehensive data set on simplified solar distillation of human urine considering the fate of nutrients and water for different types of urine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pippin Bucholtz
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA E-mail:
| | - McKenzie Steele
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Vedika Tripathi
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Cole Graham
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Lucas Crane
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
| | - Treavor H Boyer
- School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment (SSEBE), Arizona State University, P.O. Box 873005, Tempe, AZ 85287-3005, USA
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Cohen AS, Lutzke L, Otten CD, Árvai J. I Think, Therefore I Act: The Influence of Critical Reasoning Ability on Trust and Behavior During the COVID-19 Pandemic. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2022; 42:1073-1085. [PMID: 34601741 PMCID: PMC8662233 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Actively open-minded thinking (AOT) operates in three dimensions: it serves as a norm accounting for how one should search for and use information in judgment and decision making; it is a thinking style that one may adopt in accordance with the norm; and it sets standards for evaluating the thinking of others, particularly the trustworthiness of sources that claim authority. With the first and third dimensions in mind, we explore how AOT influences trust in public health experts, risk perceptions, and compliance with recommended behaviors aimed at slowing the spread and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic. Using survey data from a nationally representative sample of Americans (N = 857), we tested whether AOT will lead people to place greater trust public health experts (H1). Because these experts have been consistently messaging that COVID-19 is a real and serious threat to public health, we also hypothesized that trust in experts would be positively associated with high perceived risk (H2), which should have a positive influence on (self-reported) compliance with CDC recommendations (H3). And because AOT is a self-directed thinking style, we also expected it to directly influence risk perceptions and, by extension, compliance (H4). Our results support all four hypotheses. We discuss the implications of these results for how risk communication and risk management efforts are designed and practiced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Segrè Cohen
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Lauren Lutzke
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | | | - Joseph Árvai
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Decision ResearchEugeneORUSA
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Gwara S, Wale E, Odindo A. Behavioral intentions of rural farmers to recycle human excreta in agriculture. Sci Rep 2022; 12:5890. [PMID: 35393503 PMCID: PMC8989988 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09917-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Considerable progress has been made in developing human excreta recovery pathways and processes for maximum nutrient recovery and contaminant elimination. The demand segment has often been ignored as an area for future research, especially during the technology development. The findings from the few published articles on social acceptance show missing and inconclusive influence of demographic, sociological, and economic farmer-characteristics. This study endeavours to close this gap by using the social psychological theories, technology adoption theories and the new ecological paradigm to investigate the factors that influence the behavioral intentions of rural farmers to recycle human excreta in agriculture. Study findings show that social acceptance was driven by awareness, religiosity, income, source of income, and environmental dispositions. Perceived behavioral control represents a potential barrier to human excreta reuse. The study recommends the demographic, cultural, sociological, and economic mainstreaming of dissemination strategies of circular bioeconomy approaches within the context of agricultural innovation systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Gwara
- Discipline of Agricultural Economics, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa.
| | - Edilegnaw Wale
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa
| | - Alfred Odindo
- Discipline of Crop Science, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, South Africa
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Ren J, Hao D, Jiang J, Phuntsho S, Freguia S, Ni BJ, Dai P, Guan J, Shon HK. Fertiliser recovery from source-separated urine via membrane bioreactor and heat localized solar evaporation. WATER RESEARCH 2021; 207:117810. [PMID: 34741901 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Urine with its abundant macronutrients (N-P-K) is an ideal resource for the production of fertiliser. However, the odor and pathogens in the raw urine must be removed to meet the public acceptance of urine collection systems and to enable its safe reuse as a fertiliser. In this work, real urine was collected and treated through a pilot-scale gravity-driven membrane bioreactor (GDMBR) to remove the malodorous organics and to nitrify almost 50% of the ammonia into nitrate. The stablised urine was subsequently distilled via low-cost heat localized solar evaporation (HLSE) to produce a non-odorous solid fertiliser. The developed HLSE with a small footprint can attract bulk solution into a vertical insulated space and quickly heat it up to 68 °C within 1 h. The HLSE process had vapour flux at 1.3 kg m-2 h-1 as well as high solar to vapour conversion efficiency at 87%. Based on the EDX mapping and XRD analysis, the generated crystals are mainly NaNO3, NH4Cl, NaCl, NH4H2PO4 and K2HPO4, which are ideal nutrients for vegetation. In this study, the produced urine-derived fertilisers have a better performance on the growth of the leafy basil than the all-purpose commercial fertilisers. Generally, the GDMBR-HLSE is a promising cost-effective and green technology for nutrients recovery from urine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Ren
- ARC Research Hub in Nutrients in a Circular Economy, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia; College of Architecture & Civil Engineering, Faculty of Urban Construction, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Derek Hao
- ARC Research Hub in Nutrients in a Circular Economy, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Jiaxi Jiang
- ARC Research Hub in Nutrients in a Circular Economy, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Sherub Phuntsho
- ARC Research Hub in Nutrients in a Circular Economy, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Stefano Freguia
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010 Australia
| | - Bing-Jie Ni
- ARC Research Hub in Nutrients in a Circular Economy, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Pan Dai
- Beijing Origin Water Membrane Technology Company Ltd., Beijing 101400, China
| | - Jing Guan
- Beijing Origin Water Membrane Technology Company Ltd., Beijing 101400, China
| | - Ho Kyong Shon
- ARC Research Hub in Nutrients in a Circular Economy, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), City Campus, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia.
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Guo S, Zhou X, Simha P, Mercado LFP, Lv Y, Li Z. Poor awareness and attitudes to sanitation servicing can impede China's Rural Toilet Revolution: Evidence from Western China. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 794:148660. [PMID: 34218147 PMCID: PMC8434418 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing Toilet Revolution in China offers an opportunity to improve sanitation in rural areas by introducing new approaches, such as urine source separation, that can contribute to achieving SDG6. However, few studies have systematically assessed the social acceptability of managing human excreta collected in new sanitation systems. Therefore, in this study we performed face-to-face interviews with 414 local residents from 13 villages across three provinces in western China, to analyze the current situation and attitudes to possible changes in the rural sanitation service chain. We found that the sanitation chain was predominantly pit latrine-based, with 86.2% of households surveyed collecting their excreta in a simple pit, 82% manually emptying their pits, and 80.2% reusing excreta in agriculture without adequate pre-treatment. A majority (72%) of the households had a generally positive attitude to production of human excreta-derived fertilizer, but only 24% agreed that urine and feces should be collected separately. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that three factors (level of education, number of permanent household residents, perceived social acceptability) significantly influenced respondents' attitudes to reuse of excreta, although only perceived social acceptability had a high strength of association. Overall, our survey revealed that rural households often misuse toilet systems, fail to comply with government-specified sanitation guidelines, have low awareness of alternative solutions, and are over-reliant on the government to fix problems in the service chain. Thus while new sanitation technologies should be developed and implemented, information campaigns that encourage rural households to manage their excreta safely are also important.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaomin Guo
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Xiaoqin Zhou
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Prithvi Simha
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Luis Fernando Perez Mercado
- Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; Center for Water and Environmental Sanitation (Centro de Aguas y Saneamiento Ambiental, CASA), Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Calle Sucre y Parque Latorre, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Yaping Lv
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR China
| | - Zifu Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, PR China.
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Simha P, Barton MA, Perez-Mercado LF, McConville JR, Lalander C, Magri ME, Dutta S, Kabir H, Selvakumar A, Zhou X, Martin T, Kizos T, Kataki R, Gerchman Y, Herscu-Kluska R, Alrousan D, Goh EG, Elenciuc D, Głowacka A, Korculanin L, Tzeng RV, Ray SS, Niwagaba C, Prouty C, Mihelcic JR, Vinnerås B. Willingness among food consumers to recycle human urine as crop fertiliser: Evidence from a multinational survey. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 765:144438. [PMID: 33418332 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 11/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Source-separating sanitation systems offer the possibility of recycling nutrients present in wastewater as crop fertilisers. Thereby, they can reduce agriculture's impacts on global sources, sinks, and cycles for nitrogen and phosphorous, as well as their associated environmental costs. However, it has been broadly assumed that people would be reluctant to perform the new sanitation behaviours that are necessary for implementing such systems in practice. Yet, few studies have tried to systematically gather evidence in support of this assumption. To address this gap, we surveyed 3763 people at 20 universities in 16 countries using a standardised questionnaire. We identified and systematically assessed cross-cultural and country-level explanatory factors that were strongly associated with people's willingness to consume food grown using human urine as fertiliser. Overall, 68% of the respondents favoured recycling human urine, 59% stated a willingness to eat urine-fertilised food, and only 11% believed that urine posed health risks that could not be mitigated by treatment. Most people did not expect to pay less for urine-fertilised food, but only 15% were willing to pay a price premium. Consumer perceptions were found to differ greatly by country and the strongest predictive factors for acceptance overall were cognitive factors (perceptions of risks and benefits) and social norms. Increasing awareness and building trust among consumers about the effectiveness of new sanitation systems via cognitive and normative messaging can help increase acceptance. Based on our findings, we believe that in many countries, acceptance by food consumers will not be the major social barrier to closing the loop on human urine. That a potential market exists for urine-fertilised food, however, needs to be communicated to other stakeholders in the sanitation service chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prithvi Simha
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Energy and Technology, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Melissa A Barton
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Energy and Technology, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Luis Fernando Perez-Mercado
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Energy and Technology, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; Center for Water and Environmental Sanitation (Centro de Aguas y Saneamiento Ambiental, CASA), Universidad Mayor de San Simon, Calle Sucre y Parque Latorre, Cochabamba, Bolivia
| | - Jennifer R McConville
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Energy and Technology, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Cecilia Lalander
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Energy and Technology, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Maria Elisa Magri
- Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Department of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Shanta Dutta
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China
| | - Humayun Kabir
- Department of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh 2202, Bangladesh
| | | | - Xiaoqin Zhou
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, Beijing Key Laboratory of Resource-oriented Treatment of Industrial Pollutants, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Tristan Martin
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR ECOSYS, Avenue Lucien Bretignières, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
| | - Thanasis Kizos
- Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, GR-81100 Mytilene, Greece
| | - Rupam Kataki
- Department of Energy, Tezpur University, Tezpur, India
| | - Yoram Gerchman
- Department of Biology and Environment, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Haifa, Oranim, Tivon 36006, Israel; Oranim College, Kiryat Tivon 36006, Israel
| | | | - Dheaya Alrousan
- Department of Water Management and Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 150459, Zarqa 13115, Jordan
| | - Eng Giap Goh
- Faculty of Ocean Engineering Technology and Informatics, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Aleksandra Głowacka
- University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Faculty of Agrobioengineering, 15 Akademicka Street, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
| | - Laura Korculanin
- IADE - Universidade Europeia, Av. D. Carlos I, 4, 1200-649 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rongyu Veneta Tzeng
- International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE), Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Saikat Sinha Ray
- Institute of Environmental Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Charles Niwagaba
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Christine Prouty
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - James R Mihelcic
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, United States
| | - Björn Vinnerås
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Energy and Technology, Box 7032, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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10
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Hilton SP, Keoleian GA, Daigger GT, Zhou B, Love NG. Life Cycle Assessment of Urine Diversion and Conversion to Fertilizer Products at the City Scale. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:593-603. [PMID: 33319997 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.0c04195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Urine diversion has been proposed as an approach for producing renewable fertilizers and reducing nutrient loads to wastewater treatment plants. Life cycle assessment was used to compare environmental impacts of the operations phase of urine diversion and fertilizer processing systems [via (1) a urine concentration alternative and (2) a struvite precipitation and ion exchange alternative] at a city scale to conventional systems. Scenarios in Vermont, Michigan, and Virginia were modeled, along with additional sensitivity analyses to understand the importance of key parameters, such as the electricity grid and wastewater treatment method. Both urine diversion technologies had better environmental performance than the conventional system and led to reductions of 29-47% in greenhouse gas emissions, 26-41% in energy consumption, approximately half the freshwater use, and 25-64% in eutrophication potential, while acidification potential ranged between a 24% decrease to a 90% increase. In some situations, wastewater treatment chemical requirements were eliminated. The environmental performance improvement was usually dependent on offsetting the production of synthetic fertilizers. This study suggests that urine diversion could be applied broadly as a strategy for both improving wastewater management and decarbonization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Hilton
- Center for Sustainable Systems, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Gregory A Keoleian
- Center for Sustainable Systems, School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Glen T Daigger
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Bowen Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Nancy G Love
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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11
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Siegrist M, Árvai J. Risk Perception: Reflections on 40 Years of Research. RISK ANALYSIS : AN OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR RISK ANALYSIS 2020; 40:2191-2206. [PMID: 32949022 DOI: 10.1111/risa.13599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Numerous studies and practical experiences with risk have demonstrated the importance of risk perceptions for people's behavior. In this narrative review, we describe and reflect upon some of the lines of research that we feel have been important in helping us understand the factors and processes that shape people's risk perceptions. In our review, we propose that much of the research on risk perceptions to date can be grouped according to three dominant perspectives and, thus, approaches to study design; they are: the characteristics of hazards, the characteristics of risk perceivers, and the application of heuristics to inform risk judgments. In making these distinctions, we also highlight what we see as outstanding challenges for researchers and practitioners. We also highlight a few new research questions that we feel warrant attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Siegrist
- Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joseph Árvai
- Department of Psychology and Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Decision Research, Eugene, OR, USA
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