r einvent the toilet challenge: urine treatment environmental sustainability REU 2013

1. reinvent the toilet challenge: urine treatmentenvironmental sustainability REU 2013 By: Alyssa Ruiz Mentor: Dr. TesfaYacob PI: Dr. Karl Linden

2. About the challenge • 2.5 billion people practice open defecation or lack adequate sanitation facilities • Poor sanitation contributes to 1.5 million child deaths from diarrhea each year • Main Objectives • radically change our world’s current sanitation state through innovative discoveries that convert our waste into viable resources • decrease the statistic of child mortality that societies around the globe are facing and to improve the quality of life in these communities

3. Background: urine • Contains the majority of the nutrients (N & P) excreted from our system • Approximately 158 different chemical components, including electrolytes, nitrogenous compounds, vitamins, hormones, organic acids, and other various compounds • Focus on Ammonia • present after microbial urea hydrolysis • Urea() Total Ammonia • majority of total N compounds • causes pH increase • more = higher inactivation hydrolysis

4. About the system • Source separated toilet • utilize the properties found in urine • create biochar • energy efficient • Main source of pathogens in source separated urine comes from misplaced feces • Source separated urine high potential for regrowth • Less water compared to latrines • Daily sanitation • End Product = Fertilizer

5. 0bjectives • Experiments have shown disinfection over long periods of time (weeks) at low temperature and varying ammonia concentrations • Assess short term (hours) disinfection with these variables • the optimum concentration of ammonia • the intensity of heat treatment • the duration of the application of heat treatment • Assess the potential for regrowth in urine

6. Materials and methods • Two surrogates used from frozen cultures • E. coliFamp • MS2 • Enumeration Methods • Membrane Filtration - E. coliFamp • Agar Plating - MS2

7. Experiments: preliminary disinfection • Initial Experiment: 40°C & 60°C over 1 hr • Surrogates: E. coli & MS2 • Total Ammonia Concentration: 2 g/L

8. Results: preliminary disinfection

9. Results: preliminary disinfection

10. Experiments: 50°C disinfection • Previous experiment shows 60°C more than enough while literature says must be above 45°C • Maximize efficiency • Chose 50°C because previous data implied should take less than one day - optimal • Curious about a synergistic effect • 3 treatment methods • AH: Ammonia + Heat • H: Heat Only • A: Ammonia Only • Tested over 24 hours • 2.3g/L NH3 • Two surrogates used: E. coliFamp & MS2

11. Results: 50°C disinfection

12. Results: 50°C disinfection

13. Experiments: regrowth • Factors that could support regrowth • Contamination • High abundance of nutrients found in urine • Tested 3 urine dilutions • 1:0 (2.4 g/L NH3) • 1:1 (1.2 g/L NH3) • 1:5 (0.4 g/L NH3) • Tested 2 controls • Positive: TSB growth media • Negative: PBS • Designed to run for 21 days • 10^4 starting E. coli concentration

14. Results: regrowth

15. Conclusions & Further experiments • First of these types of experiments • Synergistic effect proven • significant in short term urine disinfection • implications for other avenues: passive solar heating • Further test synergistic effect with varying ammonia concentrations • Regrowth experiments with spiking before heat • Short, low heat + storage • Other surrogates – Enterococcus, ascaris, eggs

16. acknowledgements • NSF REU Program • CU Boulder – Dr. Montoya • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • Dr. Karl Linden • Dr. TesfaYacob • Ryan Mahoney • Sara Beck • Cori Oversby • Linden/Gates Team

17. References • "Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation." Water, Sanitation & Hygiene. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2013. • <http://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Water-Sanitation-and-Hygiene>. • "Hach – Manufactures Water Quality Testing and Analytical Instruments & Reagents." Hach – • Manufactures Water Quality Testing and Analytical Instruments & Reagents. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 June 2013. <http://www.hach.com/>. • Höglund, C. et al. "Evaluation of Faecal Contamination and Microbial Die-Off in Urine • Separating Sewage Systems." Water Science & Technology 38.6 (1998): 17-25. Print. • Putnam, David F. “Composition and Concentrative Properties of Human Urine.” (1971): n. • pag. Google Scholar. Web. • McCartney, Daryl, and Kristine M Wichuk. “A Review of the Effectiveness of Current Time– • Temperature Regulations on Pathogen Inactivation During Composting.” Journal of Environmental Engineering and Science6.5 (2007): 573–586. CrossRef. Web. • Udert, K. M. et al. “Fate of Major Compounds in Source-separated Urine.” Water Science & • Technology 54.11–12 (2006): 413-20. Print. • Vinnerås, Björn et al. “Inactivation of Bacteria and Viruses in Human Urine Depending on • Temperature and Dilution Rate.” Water Research 42.15 (2008): 4067–4074. CrossRef. Web.

18. Questions? “OUR GOAL:  to enable universal access to sustainable sanitation services by supporting the development of radically new sanitation technologies as well as markets for new sanitation products and services.” – Gates Foundation