Development of technological alternatives for the use of ETA sludge as raw material for the production of controlled release fertilizers

• Grant number: 20/12210-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Nonmetallic Materials
• Agreement: SABESP
• Principal Investigator: Cauê Ribeiro de Oliveira
• Grantee: Cauê Ribeiro de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Embrapa Instrumentação Agropecuária. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• City: São Carlos
• Partner institutions: Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Embrapa Meio-Ambiente; Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste; Companhia de Saneamento Básico do Estado de São Paulo (SABESP)
• Associated researchers: Alberto Carlos de Campos Bernardi ; Ana Rita de Araujo Nogueira ; Cristiane Sanchez Farinas ; Daniel Souza Corrêa ; Elaine Cristina Paris ; José Manoel Marconcini ; Luiz Henrique Capparelli Mattoso ; Maria Alice Martins ; Wagner Bettiol
• Associated research grant(s): 23/01549-8 - Development of wet mechanochemical treatment for the use of WTP sludge as raw material for the production of controlled-release fertilizers, AP.R
• Associated scholarship(s): 25/02875-1 - Identification of fungal and bacterial isolates suitable for incorporation into fertilizer compost, BP.IC; 23/09221-1 - Chemical evaluation and registration parameters of newformulated fertilizers., BP.IC; 23/02665-1 - Production of zeolitic concentrates from WTP sludge, BP.MS; 22/09773-1 - Development of fertilizer formulation from zeolitic concentrates obtained from WTP sludge and microorganisms, BP.PD

Abstract

The characteristics of sludge from water treatment plants - ETAs - make their destination a challenge. The variability of composition, the low organic matter content and, mainly, the high content of aluminum salts limit considerably its application in agricultural soils, a solution already studied for sewage treatment plant sludge (STP). However, its mineral structure could, in principle, be the basis for the production of pellets that would act as soil conditioners or as adjuvants for controlled fertilizer release systems, thus enabling an alternative of high consumption in residue volume. Thus, technological routes that would immobilize the aluminum salts in non-soluble structures could, together with formulation technologies, enable conditions of agricultural use of this residue. Therefore, it is proposed to develop, from ETAs sludge representative of SABESP's production, a route for the production of zeolitic concentrates from reactions with KOH, which can be formulated as extruded fertilizer granules using starch plasticized with urea and thus composing a slow-release NK fertilizer. To avoid subsequent effects of immobilization precipitation of phostats (P), essential fertilizer applied concomitantly to NK, and to ensure better functionality of the product, it is proposed to adapt the formulation for joint transmission of acidulant microorganisms, particularly isolated with confirmed agronomic potential for the control of biological soil pathogens such as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense and Sclerotium rolfsii. Standardized tests in laboratory, green house and field will be performed to evaluate the agronomic efficiency of fertilizers and the action of bioagent microorganisms. Thus, it is expected that the integration of different strategies will provide greater agronomic efficiency and competitiveness to the reuse of these residues and optimize the use of bioagent microorganisms in agriculture. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BORGES, ROGER; GIROTO, AMANDA S.; OHREM, BENEDICT; BECKMANN, SILAS; ADEMI, ALI; BOECKEM, VERA; BOCHMANN, HELENA; MUELLER-LINOW, MARK; LENZ, HENNING; RIBEIRO, CAUE; et al. Optimizing Cassava Growth with Localized Struvite Application: Root Proliferation and Fertilization Efficiency. AGRONOMY-BASEL, v. 15, n. 2, p. 23-pg., 2025-02-01. (20/12210-3, 23/01549-8)

LODI, LUDIMILA ARAUJO; BORGES, ROGER; LOPES, MARINA MOMESSO; GRACIANO, VANESSA ARAUJO; BORTOLETTO-SANTOS, RICARDO; BARUD, HERNANE S.; DE OLIVEIRA-PAIVA, CHRISTIANE ABREU; RIBEIRO, CAUE; FARINAS, CRISTIANE SANCHEZ. Spray-Drying Microencapsulation of Bacillus megaterium in PVA/Cationic Starch/Zinc Oxide for Promoting Growth and Zinc Availability in Soybean Plants. ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. N/A, p. 13-pg., 2024-11-11. (17/50334-3, 23/09673-0, 20/12210-3, 21/11965-3, 24/09631-8, 23/01549-8)

VEDOVELLO, PRISCILA; PAIVA, ROBERT SILVA; BORTOLETTO-SANTOS, RICARDO; RIBEIRO, CAUE; PUTTI, FERNANDO FERRARI. The Effect of the Conformation Process on the Physicochemical Properties of Carboxymethylcellulose-Starch Hydrogels. GELS, v. 11, n. 3, p. 15-pg., 2025-03-06. (23/01549-8, 20/12210-3, 22/03005-2)

MACHADO, RAQUEL CARDOSO; VALLE, STELLA F.; CHAO, ZARA REGINA SOARES; RIBEIRO, CAUE. Valorization of Alum Sludge Waste through Zeolite Synthesis for Sustainable Fertilizer Production. MATERIALS RESEARCH-IBERO-AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MATERIALS, v. 27, p. 9-pg., 2024-01-01. (22/09773-1, 20/12210-3, 23/01549-8)

AMMAR, MOHAMED; BORTOLETTO-SANTOS, RICARDO; RIBEIRO, CAUE; ZHANG, LIHUA; BALTRUSAITIS, JONAS. Mechanochemical synthesis of zinc-doped hydroxyapatite for tunable micronutrient release. RSC MECHANOCHEMISTRY, v. 1, n. 3, p. 16-pg., 2024-07-09. (23/01549-8, 20/12210-3)

BORGES, ROGER; SOARES, MATHEUS B.; POLLO, MARIANA P.; ALLEONI, LUIS REYNALDO F.; GIROTO, AMANDA S.; GONCALVES, MARAISA; MUELLER, MICHAEL; JABLONOWSKI, NICOLAI D.; RIBEIRO, CAUE. Zinc and Cadmium Remediation in Contaminated Soil by CaCO₃-Biochar Material from Sugar Beet Industry. WATER AIR AND SOIL POLLUTION, v. 236, n. 5, p. 17-pg., 2025-05-01. (23/09673-0, 22/08032-8, 20/12210-3, 23/01549-8, 23/04271-0)

LODI, LUDIMILA A.; BORGES, ROGER; BORTOLETTO-SANTOS, RICARDO; DE OLIVEIRA-PAIVA, CHRISTIANE ABREU; RIBEIRO, CAUE; FARINAS, CRISTIANE S.. Biodegradable PVA-based films for delivery of Bacillus megaterium as seed coating. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, v. 12, n. 6, p. 12-pg., 2024-10-29. (23/09673-0, 20/12210-3, 23/01549-8)

BRONDI, MARIANA GOVONI; BORTOLETTO-SANTOS, RICARDO; FARIAS, JULIA GOMES; FARINAS, CRISTIANE SANCHEZ; AMMAR, MOHAMMED; RIBEIRO, CAUE; WILLIAMS, CLINTON; BALTRUSAITIS, JONAS. Mechanochemically Synthesized Nitrogen-Efficient Mg- and Zn-Ammonium Carbonate Fertilizers. ACS SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY & ENGINEERING, v. 12, n. 16, p. 12-pg., 2024-04-12. (20/12210-3, 23/01549-8)

MACHADO, RAQUEL CARDOSO.; VALLE, STELLA FORTUNA DO; SENA, THAIS BEATRIZ MIQUELETI; PERRONY, PAUL ESTEBAN PHEREZ; BETTIOL, WAGNER; RIBEIRO, CAUE. Aluminosilicate and zeolitic materials synthesis using alum sludge from water treatment plants: Challenges and perspectives. WASTE MANAGEMENT, v. 186, p. 15-pg., 2024-06-13. (22/09773-1, 20/12210-3, 23/02665-1, 23/01549-8)

VEDOVELLO, PRISCILA; SANCHES, LIVIA VALENTIM; TEODORO, GABRIEL DA SILVA; MAJARON, VINICIUS FERRAZ; BORTOLETTO-SANTOS, RICARDO; RIBEIRO, CAUE; PUTTI, FERNANDO FERRARI. An Overview of Polymeric Hydrogel Applications for Sustainable Agriculture. AGRICULTURE-BASEL, v. 14, n. 6, p. 18-pg., 2024-06-01. (20/12210-3, 22/03005-2)

LODI, LUDIMILA ARAUJO; LOPES, MARINA MOMESSO; GRACIANO, VANESSA ARAUJO; BORGES, ROGER; DE OLIVEIRA-PAIVA, CHRISTIANE ABREU; RIBEIRO, CAUE; FARINAS, CRISTIANE SANCHEZ. Microencapsulation of Bacillus megaterium in cationic starch/ PVA-based matrices. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, v. 303, p. 12-pg., 2025-04-01. (23/01549-8, 24/09631-8, 20/12210-3, 23/09673-0)