Human urine—often flushed away with little thought—could become a key part of making agriculture and wastewater treatment more sustainable and energy efficient, according to new research from the University of Surrey in England.
Although urine accounts for only about 1% of wastewater, it contains the majority of essential plant nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Researchers say recovering and reusing these nutrients could ease pressure on wastewater treatment plants while reducing the need for energy-intensive fertilizer production.
In a study published in the *Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering*, a research team investigated whether urine could be concentrated into a fertiliser-rich stream using a low-energy method known as forward osmosis. The process works by removing water while retaining nutrients, offering a potential alternative to conventional wastewater technologies that typically require more energy.
Dr. Siddharth Gadkari, Lecturer in Chemical Process Engineering at the University of Surrey and lead author of the study, said: “It is strange to say, but it has the added benefit of being true — our pee is an underutilized resource. Even though it contains the key nutrients we need for agriculture, we currently treat it as waste. Our research shows that with the right treatment approach, we can recover these nutrients efficiently while reducing the energy demands of wastewater treatment.”
The study provides detailed insight into how human urine behaves under repeated operation, including how different operating conditions affect fouling, efficiency, and cleaning requirements.
The researchers found that simple pre-treatment steps, such as filtration, can significantly improve system performance. They also reported that much of the fouling can be reversed through cleaning, supporting the possibility of longer-term operation.
Gadkari added: “What is particularly exciting is that we have demonstrated how this system behaves under realistic conditions using real human urine. If we can effectively manage fouling, this technology can move much closer to practical, long-term use.”
The work was carried out in collaboration with the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, where source-separated urine systems are already being explored at scale.
Researchers believe the approach could help reduce reliance on energy-intensive fertilizer manufacturing, lower carbon emissions, and improve how the world manages both water and nutrients.
By finding a practical way to recover valuable resources from what is currently treated as waste, the study points to a potential shift toward more circular, lower-energy systems for water and food production.
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