Find out about one of the mineral fertilizers among the Phosphorus Alternatives, and the vital role for Anaerobic Digestion in Nutrient Recycling.
Many experts have been warning us all that current farming practices are not sustainable in the long-term, and a looming crisis exists because all modern agriculture relies on a cheap supply of phosphorus. Today that comes from mined phosphorous. Although phosphorous can be mined at the present time, those reserves are running out.
This is explained in our introductory video below. We suggest that you watch the video and then scroll down to read the further information we have found on this subject.
Declining Phosphorus Supplies and Rising Prices- Leading the Hunt for Phosphorus Alternatives
“Long before a global phosphorus crisis occurs, declining supplies may present a windfall for water quality and sustainable agriculture. Declining phosphorus supplies and rising prices for mineral phosphorus are beginning to encourage the efficient recycling of phosphorus-rich livestock manure.”
via Phosphorus decline could be good for water supplies
Introduction: Phosphorus Alternatives a Crisis and an Opportunity
Hello, my pals! Today, I'd want to talk to you about something very important to me: sustainability. Our planet is in crisis, and it is up to every one of us to make a difference. But what if I told you that this problem can be turned into an opportunity?
The Importance of Phosphorus in Agriculture
You may not be aware of it, but the world is facing a phosphorous problem. Phosphorus is an essential ingredient for agriculture, and it may be found in anything from fertilisers to animal feed. However, phosphorus supplies are running low, and mineral phosphorus prices are increasing. It's a dilemma with potentially disastrous consequences for our food supply and the ecosystem.
However, there is a silver lining to this situation. Phosphorus supply constraints are encouraging the efficient recycling of phosphorus-rich cattle manure. This is wonderful news for both the environment and sustainable agriculture.
The Benefits of Efficient Recycling of Phosphorus
We can reduce our reliance on mined phosphorus and reduce the pressure on the environment by recycling phosphorus from manure. It's a win-win situation for everyone. We have the ability to improve water quality and lessen the likelihood of algal blooms, which can destroy marine life and taint our drinking water. Simultaneously, we can promote soil health while reducing the use of synthetic fertilizers, which can harm important soil organisms.
Phosphorus Alternatives Can Bring Improving Water Quality and Soil Health
But it isn't all. Farmers can also save money by recycling phosphorus from manure. They can lessen their dependency on costly fertilisers by using a natural, renewable source of nutrients. This improves not only the environment but also the farmer's bottom line.
So, what can we do to increase phosphorus recycling from manure? There are a number of options. First, we must educate farmers and the general public about the benefits of phosphorus recycling. We can also invest in technology that makes extracting phosphorus from manure easier and more cost-effective.
Phosphorous Altaives Should Mean Also Saving Money for Farmers
But we must not stop there. We must address the broader issue of sustainability. We must lessen our reliance on nonrenewable resources and increase our investment in renewable energy sources. We must lower our carbon footprint and safeguard the environment for future generations.
Encouraging Recycling of Phosphorus & Addressing the Larger Issue of Sustainability
My friends, while dwindling phosphorus supplies may appear to be a disaster, they are also an opportunity. A chance to make a difference, improve the health of our planet, and build a more sustainable future.
Let us take advantage of this opportunity to make a difference with the phosphorus alternatives. Remember that even the tiniest action can have a significant influence. Let's get started right away!
Here are just two, of many articles online, which each point out different aspects of the coming phosphorous crisis in agriculture:
Rising Phosphorous Demand
- Is it the biggest looming crisis that you have never heard of … We have to remember that the world's population is growing steadily, and so demand for phosphorus is growing every year.”
2. As Dr Sella explains, phosphorus is essential for life. via The world's insatiable hunger for phosphorus. And, we should be looking at developing Phosphorus Alternatives such as using the biogas process phosphorus output.
Phosphorous from Agricultural Fertiliser is Causing Damaging Lake Eutrophication
The following article explains how eutrophication due to the intensive use of chemical agricultural fertilizers containing a high phosphorous content, is causing problems, which can be at least partially averted by putting natural processes, such as anaerobic digestion to work in new ways:
In the Chesapeake (US) watershed, excess nutrients from animal operations are a significant source of pollution. More than 40 percent of the nitrogen and phosphorus introduced into the bay come from agriculture, and half of these nutrients come from animal manure.
The good news is that by deploying new and evolving technologies such as gasification systems and anaerobic digesters, farmers can convert animal manure into much-needed bio-gas and electricity while simultaneously reducing nutrient loads that degrade water quality.
And by growing bio-energy crops like perennial grasses and fast-growing trees, which don't require annual tilling of the soil or the application of fertilizer, farmers can significantly reduce the amount of sediment and nutrients that might otherwise end up in streams, lakes, and estuaries that feed into the bay.
Farm energy programs, such as those authorized in the Energy Title of the Farm Bill, help farmers put these technologies [for example phosphorus alternative anaerobic digestion] into place and can be a critical tool in turning liabilities into high-value assets.
They offset costs to repower biorefineries [i.e. biogas plants] with biomass feedstocks and low-carbon fuels; construct solar, wind, and bio-gas electricity generation systems; and retrofit equipment, barns, and other farm infrastructure to improve energy efficiency.
Collectively, these projects unlock hundreds of millions of dollars in private investment that in turn diversify our economy, create jobs and generate new streams of revenue.
And in an era of fiscal contraction for environmental programs, they can be important new vehicles for improving soil, water, and air quality and wildlife habitat. via Farm energy programs do double duty
Put together the risks from declining supplies and rising demand, with the pollution of watercourses and lakes from eutrophication, and to describe this as a crisis is not an exaggeration.
Our Opinion on Phosphorus Alternatives and Vital Role for Anaerobic Digestion
Once again the anaerobic digestion process can be the key to solving part of this problem, and to explain our vision of how that can be achieved we produced the video which is provided at the top of this page, titled
There's a farming crisis no one is talking about: The world is running out of phosphorus, an essential element that's a key component of DNA and the basis of cellular communication.
Anaerobic digestion can be used to capture the phosphorus in manure, and it can then be sold as an additional revenue maker by anaerobic digestion plant owners. Just how that can be achieved is described in the following (the final article on this page) as explained below:
Why Phosphorus Nutrient Recycling Will Become a Vital Role in Anaerobic Digestion
Phosphorus is not about to disappear, but geologists tell us that it is a finite resource. The world needs a phosphorous alternative.
Unfortunately, at the moment although phosphorus prices have risen sharply it is cheaper to excavate phosphate rock than to separate phosphorus from groundwater.
There seems to be just one source for some 77% of the world’s phosphate rock reserves – Morocco. And, the next largest producer is China with around 6%.
So, Phosphorus seems to be the resource that will limit our ability to feed mankind in the future.
Something must be done to enable phosphorus recycling for its reuse in fertiliser products.
The importation of mined phosphorus could be replaced by recycling animal manure as a phosphorus alternative.
The only thing that is needed is an economical way of concentrating the phosphorus in manure, and sewage and transporting it to where it is needed as a raw material for fertiliser production.
At its most basic, this is an awesome phosphate alternative. It’s as simple as that.
Now let's look at Chickens!
Far from there being too little phosphorus in the chicken litter, the opposite is true.
The problem with chickens is that research suggests that the more chickens there are per hectare, the higher the concentration of phosphate in the soil.
This means that chicken litter cannot be applied on nearby fields – instead, it must be transported to other locations. [To avoid a damaging build-up.]
Although the litter is relatively dry, particularly when compared to cow slurry, the cost of transportation is excessively high.
Anaerobic Digestion experts at Ductor Oy have a solution for both general manures and chicken litter.
They take manures such as chicken litter and convert them into renewable energy as well as nitrogen fertiliser, ammonium sulphate, and most importantly, solid phosphorus fertiliser. Using a special process allied with traditional anaerobic digestion.
They use a special fermentation process in which gets microbes to convert the organic nitrogen into ammonium. That ammonium is then easily removed from the manure using conventional stripping equipment.
This way the unsuitability of chicken litter as an anaerobic digestion substrate is eliminated. This means that chicken litter with suitable nitrogen levels can now enter the biogas digestion process, and around 20% of the organic matter will turn into biogas. This has the welcome effect of concentrating phosphorus in the digested material – one of the phosphorus alternatives.
There is then a solid-liquid separation process and the digestate is dried, in a super-heated steam dryer to form up to 80% dry matter.
This can be pelleted for more convenient spreading as a phosphorus alternative. And the result is a phosphorus fertiliser that can be transported and stored economically.
In addition, the nitrogen removed from the litter is turned into ammonium sulphate, which is a nitrogen fertiliser.
There is no other comparably simple way to achieve Phosphorus Nutrient Recycling among other phosphorus alternatives, so it is predicted that this will become a vital role in Anaerobic Digestion.
This article and the video at the top of this page are based on an article written by Ilkka Virkajärvi, CTO Ductor www.ductor.com
[Article first published: 23 September 2017. Updated March 2023.]
The Scottish Waste Aware Campaign in the Western Isles is needing to devote a large part of their campaigns to educating residents to do the right thing and recycle their waste focused on getting the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, message into the Community. We like to see this nutrient recycling having a big success.
Hey There. This is an extremely well written article.
You seem to be well informed of the latest developments in AD tech.
I will be sure to bookmark it, and return to read more. Thanking for the fascinating possibilities of phosphorus recycling. I’ll definitely come back.
Hi, my name is King Kinnersley, and I am known online as the KING. Keep your cool man. Fertilizer won’t run-out. Trust me on that one.
Liked you video. Nice one! Ꭲhanks fօr expressing уoսr ideas. І would also like to say that videos are been ever evolving.
Technology advances and enhancements havе served to push back old barriers.
It is amazing what you plan in these articles.
Adequate phosphorus is always an essential for farming to raise crops. You have many good ideas.
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Hi, thanks I will subscribe for this website
to get most up-to-date updates.
Why is it that only very few people are
talking about this? Phosphorus scarcity must
be so important that it should be up there
among issues like climate change.
There is definitely a lot to learn about this topic.
I really like all the points you made, but don’t you think that more phosphorus sources will appear as time goes on and the price rises?