title: Can direct conversion of used nitrogen to new feed and protein help feed the world?
abstract: The increase in the world population, vulnerability of conventional crop production to climate change, and population shifts to megacities justify a re-examination of current methods of converting reactive nitrogen to dinitrogen gas in sewage and waste treatment plants. Indeed, by up-grading treatment plants to factories in which the incoming materials are first deconstructed to units such as ammonia, carbon dioxide and clean minerals, one can implement a highly intensive and efficient microbial resynthesis process in which the used nitrogen is harvested as microbial protein (at efficiencies close to 100%). This can be used for animal feed and food purposes. The technology for recovery of reactive nitrogen as microbial protein is available but a change of mindset needs to be achieved to make such recovery acceptable.
authors: †Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.|‡Avecom NV, Industrieweg 122P, 9032 Wondelgem, Belgium.
authors: Silvio
authors: S
authors: Matassa
authors: ∥Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, Gehrmann Building, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.|⊥CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, PO Box 8000, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors: Damien J
authors: DJ
authors: Batstone
authors: ∥Advanced Water Management Centre, The University of Queensland, Gehrmann Building, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia.|⊥CRC for Water Sensitive Cities, PO Box 8000, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.
authors: Tim
authors: T
authors: Hülsen
authors: Jerald
authors: J
authors: Schnoor
authors: †Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.|‡Avecom NV, Industrieweg 122P, 9032 Wondelgem, Belgium.|§KWR Watercycle Research Institute, Post Box 1072, 3430 BB Nieuwegein, The Netherlands.
authors: Willy
authors: W
authors: Verstraete
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture / Q000379:methods*; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D058458:Nitrogen Cycle; D059027:Recycling
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D009584:Nitrogen