I-Corps: Iron supplementation hydrogel plant substrate for aquaponics

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种硝酸盐去除和铁补充系统，以改善水培农业系统中植物的生长。水培是将水产养殖和水培结合成一个闭环系统，循环利用水，从水产养殖(鱼类)废弃物中使用天然肥料，与传统农业相比，全年利用更少的空间生产更多的食物。目前，水培系统使用合成铁络合物和不可生物降解的植物基质。水培系统通常缺乏铁，铁是合成叶绿体和其他必要代谢过程所需的一种基本植物营养。当缺铁时，水培种植者会因为植物生长受阻而损失利润，而由于营养吸收效率低下，植物没有为鱼类完全净化水。这项拟议的技术与水培系统集成，以使植物富含必需的铁，既可用于商业系统，也可用于家庭规模的系统，并可能提供可生物降解的材料来改进水培系统。该i-Corps项目基于开发用于水培农业应用的含铁水凝胶。这项拟议的技术旨在去除水中的氮和磷，其作用就像一块海绵。水产养殖业使用水培技术来防止在水产养殖生产过程中产生的过量含氮废物污染当地水道。然而，水培种植者被要求补充植物所需的基本营养，而这些营养不是由鱼类废物提供的。水培系统缺乏铁，铁是合成叶绿体和其他几个必要新陈代谢过程所必需的植物营养。最常见的铁补充剂是络合铁(Fe-EDTA、Fe-DTPA、Fe-EDDHA)，使铁溶解于水中。然而，铁螯合物是自然界中没有的合成化合物，有机种植者希望避免添加任何合成化学品。这项拟议的技术是一种补铁方法，它使用一种向植物根部提供铁的材料。此外，水凝胶是由农业回收副产品制成的。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a nitrate removal and iron supplement system to improve the growth of plants in aquaponic agriculture system. Aquaponics is the combination of aquaculture and hydroponics into one closed-loop system that recycles water, employs natural fertilizer from aquaculture (fish) waste, and utilizes less space to produce more food year-round compared to conventional agriculture. Currently, aquaponic systems use synthetic iron chelate and non-biodegradable plant substrates. Aquaponic systems are commonly deficient in iron, an essential plant nutrient required to synthesize chloroplasts and other essential metabolic processes. When deficient in iron, aquaponic growers lose profits because plant growth is stunted, and the water is not cleaned fully by the plants for the fish due to inefficient nutrient uptake. The proposed technology integrates with aquaponic systems to enrich plants with essential iron, may be used in both commercial- or home-scale systems, and may provide biodegradable materials to improve aquaponic systems.This I-Corps project is based on the development of an iron-containing hydrogel for aquaponic agricultural applications. The proposed technology is designed to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from water and acts like a sponge. The aquaculture industry uses aquaponics to prevent polluting local waterways with excess nitrogenous waste generated during aquaculture production. However, aquaponic growers are required to supplement essential nutrients required by plants that are not supplied from fish waste. Aquaponic systems are deficient in iron, an essential plant nutrient required to synthesize chloroplasts and several other essential metabolic processes. The most common iron supplement is chelated iron (Fe-EDTA, Fe-DTPA, Fe-EDDHA) to allow the iron to dissolve in water. However, iron chelates are synthetic compounds not found in nature, and organic growers want to avoid adding any synthetic chemicals. The proposed technology is an iron supplement method that employs a material that provides iron to the plant roots. In addition, the hydrogel is made from recycled by-products from the agriculture industry.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.