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LAMMC scientists have carried out research on reducing ammonia gas emissions to atmosphere

LAMMC scientists have carried out research on reducing ammonia gas emissions to atmosphere

From February 1st until March 16th, junior researcher Dr. Karolina Barčauskaitė from Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry, Institute of Agriculture, Department of Agrobiology Laboratory and PhD student Donata Drapanauskaitė, Agrochemical Research Laboratory, took an internship at Lehigh University, USA.

The aim of an internship was to study the interaction between urea and model humic acid compounds in order to reduce ammonia gas emissions to atmosphere.

During the internship, trainees have deepened their theoretical and practical knowledge of Raman spectroscopy, became familiar with research, which are carrying out by Jonas Baltrušaitis research team. It seems like priority research areas are the same, does not matter where you are working, in Lithuania or in USA. The main topics, in which colleagues are interested in: synthesis of struvite and it’s properties, the research of urea and model humic acid compounds and new product synthesis, which allow to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas.

Struvite is a magnesium ammonium phosphate, one of the more widely recovered minerals from municipal and agricultural waste. Ammonium and phosphate ions become the main raw material in synthesis of struvite from municipal and agricultural wastewater and turn into new and useful fertilizer product. New nitrogen fertilizers are under development urea basis to reduce the ammonia gas emission to atmosphere and to improve plant nutrients uptake. During the internship researchers were working on this project. Research between urea single crystal and salicylic acid were carried out using large area scan by means Raman spectrometer which has two type wavelengths lasers (532 nm and 785 nm) coupled with confocal microscope. Obtained results will be used for future presentations and publications. It is expected to continue collaboration with US scientists in the future as well.

The internship was funded by European Union structural funds.

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