A University of Illinois assistant professor is hoping to use research to uncover ways to improve the quality of collected runoff water from farms.  The project involves bioreactors and water recycling in preventing harmful pollution while also returning nitrogen to the atmosphere.

Dr. Luciano Alves de Oliveira is conducting the research.  It is, in part, an extension of earlier work of his. 

The bioreactor being used for this research was set up ten years ago at the Dudley Smith Farm Research Center in Christian County.  This allowed the research to begin and progress in a timely fashion.

One challenge with this project has been conducting the water recycling.  It is set up on a farm closer to the University thanks to the infrastructure and geographic setting there. 

More information on the Dudley Smith Farm Field Day and the University of Illinois Extension more broadly is available at extension.illinois.edu.

Dr. Luciano Alves de Oliveira appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning Show as part of our live coverage of the 2026 Dudley Smith Farm Field Day.