PhD project Phosphorus is a critical and finite resource where recycling of residual products from thermochemical processes offers new opportunities for sustainable fertilization. Chromium in ashes and biochar poses an added challenge as hexavalent chromium is particularly toxic. The project investigates the chemical form of chromium in ash fractions and biochar intended for phosphorus recovery, using advanced synchrotron-based analysis to meet both environmental and regulatory requirements within the EU.
The project is part of PRISMAS, an EU-funded research school in collaboration between MAX IV Laboratory and Swedish universities. We will use X-ray absorption spectroscopy combined with X-ray fluorescence at Balder and combined X-ray diffraction with tomography at DanMAX to analyze the oxidation state of chromium in ash fractions and biochar intended for phosphorus recovery. This provides a fundamental understanding of the local occurrence of chromium, how other elements are co-localized and how this may affect potential phosphorus recovery.
