Abdulhamid's research aims to assess the sustainability of the nutrient recovery systems from domestic wastewater, focusing on urine, where most nutrients are located (80% N, 50% P, and 60% K). Due to the dilution of these nutrients in urine, it is challenging to transport and distribute large volumes. It is, therefore, imperative to develop technologies that enable the recovery and conversion of these nutrients into a more concentrated urine-based fertilizer that is easier to apply and use. This results in a reduction of reliance on synthetic fertilizers and, thus, environmental burdens (e.g. eutrophication and algae blooms) associated with releasing these nutrients. Moreover, separating urine from the other wastewater fragments can reduce the amount of nutrients flowing to the WWTP, resulting in less treatment intensity and cleaner effluent. The assessment of these concentration technologies will be performed and carried out using a variety of tools such as; TIS (technology innovation systems), LCA (life cycle assessment), and possibly QMRA (quantitative microbial risk assessment).
