Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050

G. van Drecht; A.F. Bouwman; J. Harrison; J.M. Knoop

doi:10.1029/2009GB003458

Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050

G. van Drecht, A.F. Bouwman, J. Harrison, J.M. Knoop

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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

Original language	English
Article number	GB0A03
Number of pages	19
Journal	Global Biogeochemical Cycles
Volume	23
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2009GB003458
Publication status	Published - 2009

Keywords

harmful algal blooms
coastal eutrophication
consequences

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1029/2009GB003458

Cite this

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title = "Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050",

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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author = "{van Drecht}, G. and A.F. Bouwman and J. Harrison and J.M. Knoop",

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T1 - Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050

AU - van Drecht, G.

AU - Bouwman, A.F.

AU - Harrison, J.

AU - Knoop, J.M.

N1 - GB0A03

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - 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

AB - 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

KW - harmful algal blooms

KW - coastal eutrophication

KW - consequences

U2 - 10.1029/2009GB003458

DO - 10.1029/2009GB003458

M3 - Article

SN - 0886-6236

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JO - Global Biogeochemical Cycles

JF - Global Biogeochemical Cycles

M1 - GB0A03

ER -

Global nitrogen and phosphate in urban wastewater for the period 1970 to 2050

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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