Tecnologia P4Tree para recuperação de fósforo de urina e seu uso como fertilizante: um estudo de caso de teste de tecnologia em uma parceria hélice tríplice

Abstract

The P4Tree technology consists of a material that adsorbs phosphate present in industrial or domestic effluents, such as urine, becoming a potential fertilizer. This technology was developed by researchers from the Department of Chemistry at UFMG, together with the company Brandt Meio Ambiente, supported by a FUNTEC BNDES financing. This work describes the formatting of the partnership between UFMG, BRANDT Meio Ambiente, Pedras Congonhas, Belotur and the FPMZB Botanical Garden to test the technology in the carnivals of Belo Horizonte. The first edition of the partnership took place in 2018 and a “Technology Testing Authorization Term” was signed between Belotur and UFMG for application in selected chemical toilets during the Belo Horizonte Carnival. A pilot scale production of 7 kg of the product was carried out in conjunction with the company Pedras Congonhas. In the second test in 2020, P4Tree technology was applied in 110 bathrooms using 70 kg. The materials collected from the toilets were sterilized and studied as fertilizers in a partnership with Jardim Botânico da FPMZB. Throughout the study, analysis of pH, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium content of soil samples was carried out. Incubation tests in soil for 30, 60 and 90 days showed that P4Tree from Carnival adsorbed phosphate and released it into the soil, indicating a potential for use as a fertilizer. In the experiment with plants, two species were used: tamboril and mutamba, totaling 336 seedlings, with 5 different dosages of P4Tree, in addition to the control and the simple superphosphate reference fertilizer. It was observed that P4Tree is strongly alkaline and tends to raise the pH of the soil, having been necessary to neutralize it before its application. Mutamba is a very sensitive species and was strongly harmed by the increase in pH. On the other hand, the use of P4Tree for tamboril showed promising results.