I am a master’s student at the University of Aveiro (Portugal), where I am currently studying the behaviour of nutrient leaching when different fertilizers – chemical and waste-derived – are applied in agricultural soils. One example of a waste-dervied fertilizer is the frass from black soldier fly (BSF) bioconversion. I am analysing distinct types of frass derived from different organic waste sources, including cereals and olive pomace, a toxic waste derived from olive oil production, which is a highly abundant waste in all the Mediterranean region. My research also includes ecotoxicological assessments of the leachates using model freshwater organisms, such as microalgae, duckweed and small crustaceans.
During my journey at SLU, for which I have the support of an ERASMUS scholarship, I will learn more about the steps preceding my thesis work, particularly the frass production process. I will work closely with Dr. Cecilia Lalander and Dr. Ivã Guidini and learn about the waste bioconversion process using BSF larvae. The research project we will carry out will investigate the pre-treatment of food waste using a species of fungus, followed by the bioconversion with the BSF larvae, in which we will access the chemical and biological quality of the resulting frass fertilizer.
