TY - JOUR
T1 - Toward a circular nitrogen bioeconomy
T2 - integrating nitrogen bioconcentration, separations, and high-value products for nitrogen recovery
AU - Apraku, Edward
AU - Farmer, McKenna
AU - Lavallais, Chayse
AU - Soriano, Danna A.
AU - Notestein, Justin
AU - Tyo, Keith
AU - Dunn, Jennifer
AU - Tarpeh, William A.
AU - Wells, George F.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2025/2
Y1 - 2025/2
N2 - Recovering nitrogen (N) from wastewater is a potential avenue to reduce reliance on energy-intensive synthetic nitrogen fixation via Haber-Bosch and subsequent treatment of N-laden wastewaters through nitrification–denitrification. However, many technical and economic factors hinder widespread application of N recovery, particularly low N concentrations in municipal wastewater, paucity of high-efficiency separations technologies compatible with biological treatment, and suitable products and markets for recovered N. In this perspective, we contextualize the challenges of N recovery today, propose integrated biological and physicochemical technologies to improve selective and tunable N recovery, and propose an expanded product portfolio for recovered N products beyond fertilizers. We highlight cyanophycin, an N-rich biopolymer produced by a diverse range of bacteria, as a potential target for N bioconcentration and downstream recovery from municipal wastewater. This perspective emphasizes the equal importance of integrated biological systems, physicochemical separations, and market assessment in advancing nitrogen recovery from wastewater.
AB - Recovering nitrogen (N) from wastewater is a potential avenue to reduce reliance on energy-intensive synthetic nitrogen fixation via Haber-Bosch and subsequent treatment of N-laden wastewaters through nitrification–denitrification. However, many technical and economic factors hinder widespread application of N recovery, particularly low N concentrations in municipal wastewater, paucity of high-efficiency separations technologies compatible with biological treatment, and suitable products and markets for recovered N. In this perspective, we contextualize the challenges of N recovery today, propose integrated biological and physicochemical technologies to improve selective and tunable N recovery, and propose an expanded product portfolio for recovered N products beyond fertilizers. We highlight cyanophycin, an N-rich biopolymer produced by a diverse range of bacteria, as a potential target for N bioconcentration and downstream recovery from municipal wastewater. This perspective emphasizes the equal importance of integrated biological systems, physicochemical separations, and market assessment in advancing nitrogen recovery from wastewater.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103225
DO - 10.1016/j.copbio.2024.103225
M3 - Review article
C2 - 39602850
AN - SCOPUS:85210117438
SN - 0958-1669
VL - 91
JO - Current Opinion in Biotechnology
JF - Current Opinion in Biotechnology
M1 - 103225
ER -