Could Urine Be the Next Rocket Fuel?
- Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:00am by
Liz Klimas
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A little bacterium transforms ammonium, a component of urine, into hydrazine, a.k.a rocket fuel. But unfortunately, it’s not enough to grant liftoff yet.
Photograph of an enrichment culture of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (anammox). (Photo: Radboud University Nijmegen)
Discovery News reports anammox, a bacterium that lives without oxygen, was discovered in the 1990s, initially stirring interest in its potential for hydrazine production. But interest waned when the process didn’t produce near enough what NASA would need to send a vessel into space.
Since then scientists at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands have been researching just what about the bacterium allows this reaction to take place to better understand its future applicability. MSNBC reports that they found it is “a complex of three proteins”:
“Now that we understand how hydrazine is made we can try to improve the catalyst,” [microbiologist Mike] Jetten said. ”And we produce millions of tons of ammonium in wastewater every year,” he added, suggesting that therein is enough of the material to manufacture rocket fuel.
As Jetten notes, anammox is currently used in wastewater treatment facilities as one of the most energy-efficient options to break down ammonia.
Discovery News quotes Jetten as saying:
“Now we are accurately determining the crystal structure of the protein complex. Perhaps we can improve the production process if we have a better understanding of how the protein complex fits together.”
Although researchers will be studying techniques to produce more hydrazine from a readily abundant substance like urine, it has potential application in biofuel, according to Discovery News.
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Comments (63)
Sirfoldallot
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 8:20amSry, how much Tax money are we going to PI$$ off on this program ?????
Report Post »The Meem
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 8:35amCan’t you just see “collection sites” on every street corner. They can be located next to the recharge stations for all the electrical cars out there. Just don’t confuse the two. Great for the men, and the perverts, not so much for the ladies.
Report Post »Shotgun167
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 9:55amI would agree with a bit of money being spent on this. One of the biggest issues the military has is transporting fuel. A big push lately has been to move all of the military powerplants to use the same type of fuel in order to cut down on the logistics load. Transporting gasoline to remote locations is one of the most dangerous jobs, because the slow, bulky are sitting ducks for a rocket grenade and a glancing hit does a LOT of damage. Imagine the benefits if the company latrine can be turned into a partial fuel source.
BTW, I think the Feds should be investing money in alternative energies…for these exact same reasons. Once the military has figured out how to run remote outposts, then whole base camps from solar cells, windmills, etc, then they share that knowledge with the public and private companies take it from there. No need to throw money at Solyndra.
Report Post »Leader1776
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 11:14amJust remember the old saying …………. it’s better to be pi$$ed off than pi$$ed on !!
Report Post »berferdt
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 2:44pmThe Dutch are the folks that are doing the research.
Report Post »With Amstel and Heinekin the local beers, and all the Belgian beers not far away from Nijmegen, the way to process used beer has practical applications.
Dismayed Veteran
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 5:00pmEvery soldier, sailor, marine and airman is a walking fuel source. Why didn’t we think of this before?
Report Post »Wilkins
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 11:20pmSo it can’t launch us into space. How about run an SUV?
Report Post »Wilkins
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 11:21pmI just realized – that’d PI$$ off the Saudis!
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 8:05amMust of been a beer drinker how thougt of this , ” Pi$$ it off away 2 space “
Report Post »danbou
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 7:20amYou mean? Wwe’re going to get paid…for drinking beer?
Report Post »BIGJAYINPA
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 8:02amAdds a new wrinkle to telling someone to “Piss Off”……Just sayin’
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 10:06amAll you need to get to the moon is piss and vinegar
Report Post »endgamer
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 6:23amI can see it now, “If you want to get off this planet you’ll have to piss in this cup..”
Report Post »YepImaConservative
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 5:53amThe drug addicts in Amsterdam are a willing partner in this experimentation. Every morning they wring out their clothes [after they've pissed themselves] into twenty 50 gal drums provided by Radboud University that are spread around the city.
Report Post »Dustyluv
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 5:04amMake me sick to think of all the money I have pissed away in my lifetime…sigh.
Report Post »Papadoc
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 4:48amYet another use for beeeeeer (recycled of course) This means peeing in your neighbor’s gas tank is no longer a prank. It’s an Obama green job.
Report Post »Papadoc
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 4:45amYet another use for beer! (recycled of course) Means ******* in your neighbor‘s gas tank isn’t a prank anymore… it’s an Obama green job!
Report Post »RootsOfTruth
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 3:16amWith Obama basically killing our space program it all makes sense… we gotta get “pissed off” to get back into space.
Report Post »ejbonk
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 4:10amSo the Crazy Dutch are wasting Millions of dollars on something NASA ruled out as not an econmical way to produce enough Rocket Fuel to lift a Model Rocket off the ground, let alone a Saturn 5 Rocket. Better them than us,I say.
Report Post »ROB RAGE
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 2:32amSo Rockets will get…Pissed Off…to go to the Moon ?
Report Post »ROB RAGE
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 2:30amSo Rockets will get.. Pissed off… now to go to the Moon..?
Report Post »tharpdevenport
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 2:02amRe-engineer that for a car motor, so I can just piss in my car tank. In fact, I’ll run a hose from my pants, out the window, to the tank hole. I’ll encourage enighbors to use my tank.
Report Post »angry nerd
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 1:48amBreak out the ziplocks, were all going to be rich.
Report Post »Oh wait, that is not good! Then we will be evil.
Trustfund babies will chastise us!
At least the catheter sales will go thru the roof, time to
over regulate that industry, lets get those jobs out of the US also.
Tennessean
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 1:33amIf this is is a type of fuel, then why can’t it be used as an automotive or truck fuel?
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 2:41amIt is toxic, as I recall. It was used (with nitrogen pentoxide as the oxidizer) for Titan missiles (both stages) and I remember that there were a couple of accidents involving the fuel’s toxicity.
Report Post »Awakened One
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 6:21pmHydrazine is about the most toxic and dangerous fuel there is. It cannot be used in the automotive industry. Maybe they make another type of fuel out of it, but hydrazine takes very special handling. Hazmat suits and the like.
Report Post »Tennessean
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 1:26amAs much as I gottta go I’d be rich in a month.
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:56amBrings a whole new meaning to filling up yer tank.
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:54amI said I hope they don’t try it out on a D KE. like you know the dutch built to keep water out not the other dy ke. And please don‘t tell the chi nese they’ stop using it as fertilizer!
Report Post »Harold B
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:50amActually the micro world is our next giant step fo mankind. Effective micro organisms are regenerating the greenhouse industry with better healthy plants, Microrganisms also work well with biomass. Perhaps converting sugar cane biomass can fill a market designed combinations of Microrganism convert some to fuel and others a fertilizer or soil conditions, CEF, or controled enviroment farming (greenhouse) will be the major method of the future as good quality agricultural property is already very high priced. Products will vary according to market demand.
Report Post »Greenhouses create incredably efficient growing space and use space to confined or small for big agricultural equipment like a 5 acre plot of land. The farm of the future is CEF this article is mentioning just one microism that has to grow in a CEF production
asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:55amplease Harold read the comments and get out of the basement.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:45amIf this is a joke it’s a piss poor one .If not collecting it would be a piss poor job and and would piss people off but better pissed of than pissed on .T hat‘s all i got and thats probably why i am so poor i don’t have a pot to piss in or a window to throw it out of.
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:56amthanks
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 1:55amIf the feds think about us making money off this i guess you know they will tax the piss outta us and they won’t piss around about it .darn i gotta quit this and go .
Report Post »libertytreecaretaker
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:44am3-2-1 piss off!
Report Post »Cosmos102
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:34amThey could put collection receptacles in NYC, starting now. I’m sure McDonalds is tired of having those filthy hippies trampling through their place without buying anything, just to use the “facilities”. George Soros could just set out some potties all along Wall Street. Hey, it stinks there already. What‘s a few potties gonna do to it that hasn’t already been done?
Report Post »aaron11
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:28amLet me get this straight:
Bad=Good
Report Post »Pimp=Cool
Piss Off = Ignition?
asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:21amI hope they do not aim too high!
Report Post »KickinBack
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:09amNO! Because the Russians will still control the space industry..(thanks Obama!) Just imagine all the rocket fuel they can get from all those vodka swilling russians…
Report Post »mom4times
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:17amah dang…..and i was just gonna grab another beer…..ya know…..start storing it up ; )
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:23am@mom4times from dad3times yep thought the same thing guess we’d better be careful about smoking in the can.
Report Post »babylonvi
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:38pmWRONG! Vodka doesn’t even come close to beer in producing THIS type of rocket fuel. And while the volume may not be enough to LIFT a rocket into space, on future distant voyages it COULD produce enough for in flight needs.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:05amSweet Pee, urine the money.
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:15amthanks I needed that LMAO!!!!
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:16amI hope they don’t aim to high.
Report Post »netmail
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:32amIsn‘t that the Air Force’s motto? ‘AIM HIGH’? More changes for the military I guess.
Report Post »the hawk
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:33amDarn the price of beer is gonna rockit !
Report Post »asybot12
Posted on October 6, 2011 at 12:36amThis is a dutch project, I hope they don’t test it out on a **** and hope they put out the reefer before the test..
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