Technosols and enhanced weathering of rocks: technological solutions for supplying nutrients and removing CO2 from the atmosphere

• Grant number: 24/00774-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: August 25, 2024
• End date: August 24, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Cristiano Alberto de Andrade
• Grantee: Cristiano Alberto de Andrade
• Host Investigator: Xose Lois Otero Perez
• Host Institution: Embrapa Meio-Ambiente. Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA). Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (Brasil). Jaguariúna , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Vida (USC), Spain

Abstract

Brazil imports 80% of the fertilizers used in national agriculture, while it fails to recycle significant volumes of mineral and organic wastes that could reduce international dependence on nutrients, boost the regional economy, increase the productive potential of land and promote environmental co-benefits. The aim of the research is to build Technosols from rocks, organic waste and biochar for the efficient availability of nutrients, increased agricultural yield and removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. The research strategy, built in integration with the University of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, involves characterizing materials and carrying out experiments in the laboratory and in the field.The enhanced weathering processes of four types of basic and ultrabasic rocks will be evaluated in the laboratory, using the CO2 released in the organic fraction mineralization of the organic wastes and biochar in mixtures with these rocks; or the CO2 from an external source, in a model of potential future adoption by the Brazilian bioenergy sector. Assessments will include biogeochemical balances of nutrients and carbon, in addition to the rock carbonation level.Crop productivity responses, improvements in soil quality and carbon sequestration will be evaluated in a field experiment for some Technosols.At the end of the research, a database will be made available for future developments, recommendations will be generated for mixtures between rocks and organic sources, in the construction of Technosols, and proofs of concept will be developed for the enhanced weathering of rocks.