Wan is an assistant professor of animal and dairy science at UW–Platteville. Her primary research interest is in the application of non-thermal technologies for enhanced food safety and quality to achieve sustainable manufacturing goals. In addition, her research focuses on the utilization of food by-products and wastes for production of value-added ingredients. Wan’s position is funded by the Dairy Innovation Hub.
Wisconsin, a leading agricultural state hosting over 64,900 farms, contributes $104.8 billion annually to its economy. Despite the widespread use of animal manure, concerns persist over pathogen contamination and nutrient imbalances. This project explores the application of high voltage atmospheric cold plasma treatment to enhance the safety and quality of organic fertilizers through pathogen elimination and nitrogen enrichment. A plasma-activated liquid (PAL) treatment system will be applied to produce pathogen-free, nitrogen-enriched plasma-activated organic fertilizer (PAOF). This innovative approach could reduce harmful emissions, eliminate pathogens, and enhance nitrogen content, thereby significantly enhancing fertilizer quality and environmental sustainability. The primary focus of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of PAL treatment system in pathogen inactivation and nitrogen enrichment of PAOF. A specially designed scalable PAL system will be utilized for liquid manure treatment. Furthermore, the effectiveness of PAOF in promoting the growth of nitrogen-demanding crops, particularly corn – vital for Wisconsin’s dairy farming – will be evaluated. Moreover, since emissions from manure storages can contribute to atmospheric greenhouse gases, a study on manure emissions during storage will be conducted. It is anticipated that with the reduction of bacterial population in PAOF, emissions will decrease. This project holds significant benefits for dairy farmers by improving feed quality and sustainability, converting waste into valuable fertilizer, and supporting sustainable agricultural practices.