During her PhD studies, Jingyu Wang studied agricultural non-point source pollution, with a particular focus on pesticide losses from fields to surrounding soil and water systems. Such diffuse pollution is difficult to control due to variable hydrological conditions and low contaminant concentrations in agricultural runoff and drainage. She investigated the role of biochar in pesticide remediation, first by assessing how direct biochar application affects pesticide behavior in soils. Building on these insights, she developed functional biochar-based composite materials designed for use in field-edge nature-based solutions.

Her work demonstrates that engineered and pelletized biochar materials can provide robust and controllable pesticide removal under environmentally relevant conditions, offering practical strategies for mitigating pesticide pollution in agricultural landscapes.

The PhD study was completed at

Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University.

This summary was prepared by the PhD student.

Time: Week 12,18 March 2026, at 12:30
Place: Building 8814, room 3075, Auditorium, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, 8830
Title of PhD thesis: Biochar for Pesticide Remediation: Environmental Behavior, Material Design, and Mechanistic Insights
Contact information: Jingyu Wang, e-mail: jingyuwang@agro.au.dk, tel.: +45 52601805
Members of the assessment committee:
Professor Jan Vymazal, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Czech Republic
Research Scientist Víctor Matamoros , Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Spain
Anne Grete Kongsted (Chair), Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark Denmark
Main supervisor:
Associated professor, Shubiao Wu, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Co-supervisor:
Tenure Track Assistant Professor. Trine Norgaard, Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Denmark
Language: The PhD dissertation will be defended in English

The defence is public.
The PhD thesis is available for reading at the Graduate School of Technical Sciences/GSTS, Ny Munkegade 120, building 1521, 8000 Aarhus C.