The production of food in the space-stations is extremely difficult owing to the lack of oxygen and gravitational force. Additionally, the need for a self-sufficient food cultivation and waste management in the future in the space station is a must but a technology to attain this goal has yet to be invented. Thus, a team from Japan developed a feasible and effective way of developing liquid fertilizer (ammonia) using simplified artificial urine with the idea of serving as a dual purpose that is growing food and treating waste. It is such harsh space conditions that make human colonization in space difficult.

The major challenge in the long-term settlement in the Antarctic or on Mars is achievement of self-sufficiency in order to help the colonies survive even during the catastrophic events. For the establishment of human colonies, it is necessary to ensure food supply and self-sustenance. It is the reason behind researchers working toward exploring space agricultural technology and the Research Center for Space Colony at Tokyo University of Science seems to have taken it seriously. The technological developments being made for safe and sustainable space agriculture is projected to help humans sustain for a long term in an exceptionally closed environment such as a space station.

Realizing that since ages the animal waste are used as fertilizers, the researchers started hunting for possibilities of manufacturing it using urea — which is present in the urine —  to make liquid fertilizer. This idea could help deal with human waste management as well as production of food. They tried using conventional equipment at room temperature and atmospheric pressure for making ammonia from urine. The electrochemical process carried out in reaction cell integrated with a light-inducible catalyst or titanium dioxide photocatalyst and a boron-doped diamond electrode was found to help form ammonium ions. On the other hand, the counter cell with platinum electrode showed urea being oxidized and further forming ammonium ions when current is passed through the cell. This electrochemically created liquid fertilizer is a breakthrough the space scientists have long been waiting for.

Market Research Store has published a report on global liquid fertilizer market. The report comprehensively enlightens about the market dynamics through the financial figures, company profiles, regional development, and various market growth impacting factors.

https://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/global-liquid-fertilizer-market-report-2020-by-key-773502