Production of nano agricultural additives through biotransformation and functionalization of coffee waste - Phase 2

• Grant number: 24/21423-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Support Program for Fixating Young Doctors
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Microbiology - Applied Microbiology
• Principal Investigator: Suzan Pantaroto de Vasconcellos
• Grantee: Fernanda Pollo Paniz
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas (ICAQF). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Diadema. Diadema , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 23/02729-0 - Production of nano agricultural additives through biotransformation and functionalization of coffee waste, AP.R

Abstract

This project aims to use organic solid waste (coffee husk) from the coffeeproduction chain as substrates for the metabolism of actinomycetes and filamentous fungi,previously selected in work carried out by our research group. Such cultures constitute enzymaticbroths for the biogenic preparation of metallic nanoparticles, which will be immobilized in biochar,also produced from the pyrolysis of the same residues from the processing of coffee beans. Theimpact of eutectic mixtures on the bioavailability of monolignols and nutrients to increase soilfertility will still be the subject of investigation. The results obtained in this proposal may contribute to understanding the impact of new agricultural additives on crops of economic and socialimportance, as well as elucidating biological processes for transforming lignocellulosic residuesinto products of environmental and industrial interest. It is important to highlight that this projectdeals with the continuation of the study started in 2023, whose initial report made it possible toverify the predicted application of the substrate "coffee bean peels" as an inducer of microbialmetabolism, with efficiency in the preliminary obtaining of metallic nanoparticles at copper base.If successful, the results of this proposal could also be directly used in agricultural crops,optimizing the rational use of soil, in a growing context of climate change and the need to resizeexternal behaviors to preserve global health.