Phosphorus runoff from manure, fertilizers, and agricultural fields is a major contributor to water quality challenges across Wisconsin, leading to harmful algal blooms and degradation of lakes and streams. Researchers at UW–Platteville have developed a promising technology that selectively captures phosphate from compost extracts and nutrient-rich water sources, creating opportunities to recover valuable nutrients that would otherwise be lost to the environment. However, advancing this work required additional analytical capabilities to accurately measure key nutrients and evaluate recovery performance.

Through Dairy Innovation Hub funding, UW–Platteville expanded its ion chromatography system with a cation exchange column capable of measuring nutrients such as potassium, ammonium, calcium, and magnesium. This addition allows researchers to perform complete nutrient analyses and accelerate development of technologies that capture and recycle nutrients from manure, compost, and agricultural runoff. The project supports both environmental stewardship and farm profitability by advancing systems that protect water quality while creating potential new value streams from recovered nutrients.