Biogeochemical mechanisms influencing the bioavailability of P and Fe from vivianite

ESR 10: Rouven Metz

Supervisor: Prof. Stephan Kraemer (University of Vienna, Austria) / Co-supervisor: Dr. Walter Schenkeveld (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)

Project description: The research of the PhD student at the University of Vienna (ESR10) is focused on the rates and mechanisms involved in Fe and P mobilization from vivianite and will investigate the effect of the geochemical environment on this process. The student will study the effect of precipitation of secondary minerals and quantify the effect of naturally occurring Fe binding ligands (including low molecular weight organic acids, siderophores, humic substances) on the rates of mineral dissolution. The student will use state of the art analytical tools and geochemical modelling. The project will be performed in close collaboration with international partners and involves secondments at academic partners in the consortium, but also at companies which are partner organizations in the P-TRAP project.

Secondments planned:

FERTIBERIA: Studies of Fe and P mobilization from commercial vivianite (as produced by FERTIBERIA) fertilizers in comparison to model vivianite phases (3 months)

UU: Numerical geochemical modelling involving kinetics of P and Fe release from vivianite (4 months)

EAWAG: Characterise products of vivianite transformation by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (1 month)