Liquid Gold<\/h2>In a paper<\/a> published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering<\/em>, the team describes the process of creating one of its bio-bricks.<\/p>First, they collect human urine in special urinals<\/a> that convert much of the liquid into a solid fertilizer. Then, they add the remaining urine to loose sand they colonized with a bacteria that produces an enzyme called urease. This urease reacts with the urine over a period of four to six days, cementing the sand into the brick-like shape of its container.<\/p>This whole process takes place at room temperature, while creating traditional bricks involves the use of carbon emission-producing kilns. And as yet another bonus, the team says it can convert the little bit of human urine left over from the brick-building process into yet another fertilizer.<\/p>
Flushed Away<\/h2>
Ultimately, this team has taken something most of us don’t think twice about flushing down the toilet every day and transformed it into two things we need: fertilizer and building materials.<\/p>
Still, the amount of urine needed to produce just one brick would require about 100 trips to the restroom<\/a>, so unless the team is able to get its hands on a lot more urine, these bio-bricks might never find their way onto a construction site.<\/p>READ MORE:<\/strong> World-First: Bio-Bricks From Urine<\/a> [University of Cape Town]<\/p><\/div>More on upcycling waste: Researchers Devise Method for Recycling Astronaut Urine to Make 3D Printing Plastics in Space<\/a><\/strong><\/p>![](\"https:\/\/wp-assets.futurism.com\/2018\/10\/pee-brick-1200x628.png\")
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These Environmentally Friendly Bricks Are Made out of Human Urine<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Bathroom Bricks The next time you pee, think about this:\u00a0Your urine could one day\u00a0create the sustainable building materials of the future. Dyllon Randall is a research engineer at the University of Cape Town. He\u2019s also the supervisor on a new project in which students harvested urine from urinals so they could transform the waste into building bricks Continue reading
In a paper<\/a> published in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering<\/em>, the team describes the process of creating one of its bio-bricks.<\/p> First, they collect human urine in special urinals<\/a> that convert much of the liquid into a solid fertilizer. Then, they add the remaining urine to loose sand they colonized with a bacteria that produces an enzyme called urease. This urease reacts with the urine over a period of four to six days, cementing the sand into the brick-like shape of its container.<\/p> This whole process takes place at room temperature, while creating traditional bricks involves the use of carbon emission-producing kilns. And as yet another bonus, the team says it can convert the little bit of human urine left over from the brick-building process into yet another fertilizer.<\/p> Ultimately, this team has taken something most of us don’t think twice about flushing down the toilet every day and transformed it into two things we need: fertilizer and building materials.<\/p> Still, the amount of urine needed to produce just one brick would require about 100 trips to the restroom<\/a>, so unless the team is able to get its hands on a lot more urine, these bio-bricks might never find their way onto a construction site.<\/p> READ MORE:<\/strong> World-First: Bio-Bricks From Urine<\/a> [University of Cape Town]<\/p><\/div> More on upcycling waste: Researchers Devise Method for Recycling Astronaut Urine to Make 3D Printing Plastics in Space<\/a><\/strong><\/p> See more here: Bathroom Bricks The next time you pee, think about this:\u00a0Your urine could one day\u00a0create the sustainable building materials of the future. Dyllon Randall is a research engineer at the University of Cape Town. He\u2019s also the supervisor on a new project in which students harvested urine from urinals so they could transform the waste into building bricks Continue reading Flushed Away<\/h2>
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These Environmentally Friendly Bricks Are Made out of Human Urine<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"