Olena Dorosh
Olena Dorosh earned her Master's degree in Biotechnology for Sustainability in 2019 from the Institute of Chemical and Biological Technology António Xavier at NOVA University of Lisbon. She previously completed her Bachelor's degree in Biochemistry in 2017 at the NOVA School of Science and Technology.
Olena has worked as a researcher, with a Master's Student Fellow on the BioreVinery (PTDC/BII-BIO/30884/2017) and Honey+ (MTS/SAS/0077/2020) projects at REQUIMTE/LAQV-ISEP, Polytechnic University of Porto, Portugal. In 2022, she embarked on a Ph.D. in the Sustainable Chemistry doctoral program, supported by a grant from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT). Her thesis, titled "Burnt Soils: Sustainable Remediation Strategies," focuses on agrarian sciences, particularly on the sustainable valorization of agro-food wastes and the rehabilitation of burnt soils.
Her research primarily centers on the extraction of bioactive compounds from agricultural by-products using environmentally friendly techniques, with the subsequent incorporation of these extracts into value-added products. More recently, she has been exploring the use of agricultural wastes for biochar production, enriched with nutrients for controlled-release fertilizers aimed at rehabilitating burnt soils.
Olena has published nine papers in Web of Science-indexed journals and has co-authored 14 communications presented at both national and international conferences.
Sessions
The widespread use of conventional fertilizers during the 20th century was driven by the need to support global population growth, enhance crop yields, and improve soil fertility [1]. However, these fertilizers are prone to significant losses due to leaching or volatilization, leading to both economic inefficiencies and environmental challenges, such as eutrophication and ecosystem destabilization [2]. As a result, there is a growing interest in more sustainable alternatives. Among these, controlled release fertilizers (CRFs), particularly those developed from biochars, offer a promising solution, enabling a more gradual release of nutrients while also enhancing soil structure and health [3].
This study focuses on the production and optimization of CRFs using biochar produced from vineyard prunings, an undervalued agro-industrial residue with limited economic value. Four distinct biochars were prepared using different conditions: 1) untreated biochar produced at an industrial oven (Ibero Massa Florestal company) (BIMF), 2) thermal condition under CO2 flow (BCO2); and biochars chemically pre-treated with 3) magnesium chloride (BMgCl2) and 4) aluminium chloride (BAlCl3). The adsorption capacities for nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K) were evaluated across a pH range between 2 and 13. Subsequent optimizations were carried out for N adsorption at pH 2 using the BIMF material and for P adsorption at pH 8 using the BMgCl2 material. After adsorption conditions optimization, the maximum Langmuir adsorption capacities were 10.4 mg N/g for BIMF and 12.7 mg P/g for BMgCl2. Current investigations are focusing on the nutrient release kinetics from the CRFs, aiming to assess their potential for gradual nutrient delivery and long-term soil fertility improvement.
This work highlights the potential of vineyard pruning biochars as a sustainable material to prepare CRFs, offering both agricultural and environmental benefits.
Bibliography
[1]. Wang, C. et al. Biochar-based slow-release of fertilizers for sustainable agriculture: A mini review. Environ. Sci. Ecotechnology 10, 100167 (2022).
[2]. Tomczyk, A., Kondracki, B. & Szewczuk-Karpisz, K. Chemical modification of biochars as a method to improve its surface properties and efficiency in removing xenobiotics from aqueous media. Chemosphere 312, 137238 (2022).
[3]. Biswas, B. et al. Magnesium doped biochar for simultaneous adsorption of phosphate and nitrogen ions from aqueous solution. Chemosphere 358, 142130 (2024).