Journal article
Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050
Global biogeochemical cycles, Vol.23(4), pp.GB0A03-n/a
09/11/2009
Abstract
This paper presents estimates for global N and P emissions from sewage for the period 1970-2050 for the four Millennium Ecosystem Assessment scenarios. Using country-specific projections for population and economic growth, urbanization, development of sewage systems, and wastewater treatment installations, a rapid increase in global sewage emissions is predicted, from 6.4 Tg of N and 1.3 Tg of P per year in 2000 to 12.0-15.5 Tg of N and 2.4-3.1 Tg of P per year in 2050. While North America (strong increase), Oceania (moderate increase), Europe (decrease), and North Asia (decrease) show contrasting developments, in the developing countries, sewage N and P discharge will likely increase by a factor of 2.5 to 3.5 between 2000 and 2050. This is a combined effect of increasing population, urbanization, and development of sewage systems. Even in optimistic scenarios for the development of wastewater treatment systems, global N and P flows are not likely to decline.
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Details
- Title
- Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050
- Creators
- G Van Drecht - Netherlands Environmental Assessment AgencyA. F Bouwman - Netherlands Environmental Assessment AgencyJ Harrison - Washington State University, Environment, School of the (CAS)J. M Knoop - Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency
- Publication Details
- Global biogeochemical cycles, Vol.23(4), pp.GB0A03-n/a
- Academic Unit
- Environment, School of the (CAS); Harrison Research Group: Global Change and Watershed Biochemistry
- Publisher
- AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
- Number of pages
- 19
- Grant note
- LOICZ S/550005/01/DD / Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL)
- Identifiers
- 99900667382101842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article