Figure 2 (IMAGE)

Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Science

Figure 2

Caption

Linear (red arrows) and circular (blue arrows) nitrogen economies. In the linear nitrogen economy, N is fixed from the atmosphere through the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process, utilized as fertilizer for food production, then released as waste. Often, N is not adequately removed during wastewater treatment, resulting in nitrogen loading to surface and costal waters, triggering harmful algal blooms and dead-zones. A more-forward looking approach is to capture nitrogen from waste-streams and reintroduce N into the food chain to bypass the need for energy-intensive N-fixation while preventing the pollution of aquatic environments downstream.

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Ngai Yin Yip and Xi Chen/Columbia Engineering

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Please credit as: Ngai Yin Yip and Chanhee Boo/Columbia Engineering

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