Wei receives NSF grant to continue research on phosphate discovery

Phosphorus is an important plant nutrient whose availability jeopardizes global food security. Biorefinery waste streams are a largely untapped source of phosphorus, but what is recovered often takes a on form that cannot be used in fertilizers and other phosphorus-rich products. 

CEE Associate Professor Na Wei researches ways to strengthen this crucial step in the phosphate circular bioeconomy, specifically searching for methods by which the phosphorus found in waste streams can be converted into a bioavailable product. She hopes to continue this work with new support from the National Science Foundation. 

Wei also is a professor with the Institute for Genomic Biology at the University of Illinois.

Read IGB's full press release on Wei's phosphate recovery work here.