Marrit van der Wal
Department / Institute
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RESEARCH PROFILE
The agricultural sector likes to contribute to the societal challenges of limiting nitrogen and (climate driven) CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. In addition, the agricultural sector wishes to valorize its liquid manure streams by producing high concentrated mineral concentrates next to high concentrated nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fractions. Analysis has shown that a restriction in liquid manure utilization lies in the nitrogen and potassium balance, as this ratio does not meet the requirements for optimal plant growth which limits the use of animal manure mineral concentrates. This project focuses on improving methods to produce highly concentrated mineral concentrates and on the development of manure treatment processes for the production of mineral concentrates rich in N or K. Ultimately this would result in the opportunity to mix the N and K species in the desired ratio thus producing high value precision fertilizers. Advantageously, this would reduce the nitrogen and CO2 emission into the atmosphere.
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
Marrit van der Wal (1998) started her education with a bachelor in chemistry at Van Hall Larenstein in Leeuwarden. During her bachelor interest grew towards the water technology field. She continued her academic career with a master in water technology at the Wetsus academy (Leeuwarden). A joined master’s degree provided by Wageningen University and Research, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen and University of Twente. She finished her graduation with a thesis project on the development of electrospun bipolar membranes with improved water dissociation rates provided by the incorporation of polymer catalysts.
Marrit started her PhD at Eindhoven University of Technology within the Membrane Materials and Processes group, Departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry under supervision of Prof. dr. ir. Kitty Nijmeijer and Dr. Ing. Zandrie Borneman. Her expertises are membrane development, polymer science, polyelectrolytes and ion separation.
Recent Publications
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Optimizing flocculation of digestate to increase circularity in manure treatment
Bioresource Technology Reports (2023) -
Multistage electrodialysis for desalination of natural seawater
Desalination (2021)
Ancillary Activities
No ancillary activities