Editorial: New processes for nutrient recovery from wastes

Authors: Vanotti, Matias; GARCIA-GONZALEZ, MARIA - Institute Of Castilla - Spain; MOLINUEVO-SALCES, BEATRIZ - Institute Of Castilla - Spain; RIANO, BERTA - Institute Of Castilla - Spain

Submitted to: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2019
Publication Date: 9/24/2019
Citation: Vanotti, M.B., Garcia-Gonzalez, M.C., Molinuevo-Salces, B., Riano, B. 2019. Editorial: New processes for nutrient recovery from wastes. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems. 3: article 81. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00081.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00081

Interpretive Summary: Global demand for mineral fertilizers is continuously increasing, while large amounts of organic wastes are being disposed without use as a resource, resulting in soil, water and air pollution. Current trends of intensification, expansion and agglomeration of livestock production result in a net import of nutrients that lead to a surplus in some production areas. Therefore, new processes and technologies to recover and re-use nutrients from both solid and liquid wastes are desirable to close the loop on the nutrient cycle in modern human society and address future scarcity of non-renewable nutrients and fossil-based fertilizers. Development of technologies for nutrient-reuse was identified as one of the main challenges in waste management within a circular economy. Another main challenge in this context is to provide needed information for efficient substitution of mineral fertilizer with nutrients from organic wastes. This Research Topic (Special Issue) of Frontiers Sustainable Food Systems – Waste Management in Agroecosystems titled “New Processes for Nutrient Recovery from Wastes” presents scientific progress regarding processes and technologies that allow recovery and re-use of nutrients from wastes, the selective recovery of mineral nutrients (ammonia and phosphates), the production of new organic fertilizers, and evaluation of their relative agronomic efficiency. The 13 articles composing this Research Topic provide a stronger recognition of the importance of nutrient recovery and upcycling in the new horizons of the circular economy.

Technical Abstract: Global demand for mineral fertilizers is continuously increasing, while large amounts of organic wastes are being disposed without use as a resource, resulting in soil, water and air pollution. Current trends of intensification, expansion and agglomeration of livestock production result in a net import of nutrients that lead to a surplus in some production areas. Therefore, new processes and technologies to recover and re-use nutrients from both solid and liquid wastes are desirable to close the loop on the nutrient cycle in modern human society and address future scarcity of non-renewable nutrients and fossil-based fertilizers. Development of technologies for nutrient-reuse was identified as one of the main challenges in waste management within a circular economy. Another main challenge in this context is to provide needed information for efficient substitution of mineral fertilizer with nutrients from organic wastes. This Research Topic (Special Issue) of Frontiers Sustainable Food Systems – Waste Management in Agroecosystems titled “New Processes for Nutrient Recovery from Wastes” presents scientific progress regarding processes and technologies that allow recovery and re-use of nutrients from wastes, the selective recovery of mineral nutrients (ammonia and phosphates), the production of new organic fertilizers, and evaluation of their relative agronomic efficiency. The 13 articles composing this Research Topic provide a stronger recognition of the importance of nutrient recovery and upcycling in the new horizons of the circular economy.