A machine that transforms urine into drinking water and fertilizer has been invented by Belgian scientists. The urine is heated with solar power and then passed through a membrane which recovers the water and separates out nutrients including phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. The machine was trialled at a festival in Ghent, where it recovered 1,000 litres of water. In an interview with BBC News, Dr Paul Van der Linden, from Ghent University, said he hoped to use his invention for other purposes such as treating waste water, but also to make fertiliser.
A machine that transforms urine into drinking water and fertilizer has been invented by Belgian scientists. The urine is heated with solar power and then passed through a membrane which recovers the water and separates out nutrients including phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. The machine was trialled at a festival in Ghent, where it recovered 1,000 litres of water. The scientists hope that the system can also be used in developing and off-grid regions.