Ammonium Sulphate from a Bio-Refinery System as a Fertilizer—Agronomic and Economic Effectiveness on the Farm Scale

Magdalena Szymańska, Tomasz Sosulski, Ewa Szara, Adam Wąs, Piotr Sulewski, Gijs W.P. van Pruissen and René L. Cornelissen
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Magdalena Szymańska: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Tomasz Sosulski: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Ewa Szara: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 159, 02-776 Warsaw, Poland
Adam Wąs: Department of Economics and Organisation of Enterprises, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Piotr Sulewski: Department of Economics and Organisation of Enterprises, Warsaw University of Life Sciences—SGGW, Nowoursynowska 166, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland
Gijs W.P. van Pruissen: Cornelissen Consulting Services BV, Binnensingel 3, 7411 PL Deventer, The Netherlands
René L. Cornelissen: Cornelissen Consulting Services BV, Binnensingel 3, 7411 PL Deventer, The Netherlands

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 24, 1-15

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a pot experiment aimed at the assessment of the agronomic and economic effectiveness of ammonium sulphate from an agro bio-refinery (Bio-AS). The Bio-AS was obtained by means of the ammonia stripping process from effluent after struvite precipitation from a liquid fraction of digestate. The agronomic effectiveness of Bio-AS in a pot experiment with maize and grass in two different soils, silty loam (SL) and loamy sand (LS), was investigated. The fertilising effect of Bio-AS was compared to commercial ammonium sulphate fertilizer (Com-AS) and control treatment (without fertilisation). The crop yields were found to depend on both soil type and nitrogen treatment. Crop yields produced under Bio-AS and Com-AS exceeded those under control treatments, respectively for SL and LS soils, by 88% and 125% for maize and 73% and 94% for grass. Crop yields under Bio-AS were similar to those under the Com-AS treatment. The fertilizer use of Bio-AS affected the chemical composition of plants and soil properties similarly as Com-AS. This suggests that Bio-AS from a bio-refinery can replace industrial ammonium sulphate, resulting in both economic and environmental benefits.

Keywords: digestate; nitrogen removal; ammonia stripping; agro bio-refinery; ammonium sulphate; fertilizer value; crop yield; environmental sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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