ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER

Abstract

The present invention addresses to the production of an organomineral fertilizer consisting of a mineral matrix, drilling gravel and an organic matrix, algae biomass. Algae are cultivated using drilling gravel suspended in the culture medium together with their ability to grow by absorbing CO.sub.2, and, in the case of cyanobacteria, they fix atmospheric nitrogen in their biomass. The gravel provides a set of additional nutrients present in its composition to the conventional nutritional chemical compounds for algae. In this way, the gravel can be mixed with the culture medium in the cultivation of algae, generating the organic matrix to be formulated and commercialized in the national and international agricultural market as an organomineral fertilizer, and, in the case originating from the organic matrix of cyanobacteria, there is the enrichment with nitrogen obtained biologically, without the high energy expenditure typical of traditional synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. In this way, the present invention enables the disposal with a minimum of environmental impact and constitutes a satisfactory solution for the disposal of gravel for oil E&P.

Claims

1. AN ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER, characterized in that it comprises: a mineral matrix, chosen from the drilling gravel; an organic matrix consisting of algal biomass produced by cultivating cyanobacteria, microalgae or macroalgae in culture media based on drilling gravel.

2. THE ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER according to claim 1, characterized in that it is for application via soil, fertigation, hydroponics, via foliar application and via plant seeds.

3. THE ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a solid, liquid, pasty or gel product, in solution or suspension.

4. THE ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER according to claim 1, characterized in that the combination of the mineral and organic matrix presents the following proportions: 1—organic carbon: minimum of 8% for solid product and 3% for fluid product; 2—humidity: a maximum of 20% for a solid product and greater than 20% for a fluid product; 3—cation exchange capacity (CEC): minimum of 80 mmol.sub.c/kg for solid product and no limitation for fluid product; 4—contain all or part, in various ratios, proportions, formulations, minimum and maximum limits of primary and secondary macronutrients, micronutrients and guaranteed or declared beneficial elements of the product.

5. THE ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER according to claim 4, characterized in that, additionally, the solid product is soluble in water; and can add chelating agents, complexing agents or additives.

6. THE ORGANOMINERAL FERTILIZER according to claim 1, characterized in that the organic matrix is produced from the cultivation of microalgae, cyanobacteria and macroalgae with the addition of drilling gravel in concentrations ranging from 0.01% to 95%, preferably of 0.1%, in culture medium or combination of culture media; wherein the inoculation of Nannochloropsis sp. in concentrations ranging from 1 mg/L to 1 g/L, preferably 50 mg/L, in tanks or other types of transparent containers subjected to natural or artificial sunlight with a light intensity greater than 60 klux with an ideal of 120 klux, with photoperiod from 8 to 14 hours, preferably 12 hours; wherein the CO2 supply is without limitation of purity, preferably 99% purity; wherein the pH is maintained between 6 and 7, preferably pH 6.5 over 36 hours to 6 days of growth, preferably three days; wherein the salinity is measured with reference to sodium chloride, between 0.001 to 150 g/L, preferably 35 g/L; wherein the temperature is between 24 to 48° C., preferably 36° C.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will be described in more detail below, with reference to the attached figures which, in a schematic way and not limiting the inventive scope, represent examples of its realization. The drawings have:

[0020] FIG. 1 illustrating an organomineral fertilizer production process according to the present invention: solar radiation (1) falls on algal biomass production cultivation tanks (6), where cyanobacteria, microalgae or macroalgae inoculants (5) containing water and culture media (3), adding drilling gravel (2) and CO.sub.2 (4). Algae biomass (7) is produced and collected to be used as an organomineral fertilizer (8);

[0021] FIG. 2 illustrating the beginning of the experiment, after inoculation with Nannochloropsis sp. (increase of 1000×), where (P) is the reactor with drilling gravel, and (C) the control reactor;

[0022] FIG. 3 illustrating Nannochloropsis sp. after 24 hours from the beginning of the experiment (increase of 1000×), where (P) is the reactor with drilling gravel, and (C) the control reactor;

[0023] FIG. 4 illustrating Nannochloropsis sp. after 48 hours from the beginning of the experiment (increase of 1000×); where (P) is the reactor with drilling gravel, and (C) the control reactor;

[0024] FIG. 5 illustrating the general aspect of the cultures throughout the experiment with agitation and injection of CO.sub.2, wherein there are the denominated sample with addition of gravel from the pre-salt (P) and the denominated control sample (C);

[0025] FIG. 6 illustrating the general appearance of the cultures seven days after the end of the experiment, wherein there are the denominated sample with the addition of pre-salt gravel (P) and the denominated control sample (C).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The organomineral fertilizer according to the present invention comprises drilling gravel from the oil and gas industry (onshore or offshore), carbon dioxide, cyanobacterial culture or microalgae or macroalgae and culture medium.

[0027] To obtain the organomineral fertilizer, it is necessary to add drilling gravel from the oil and gas industry to the culture medium. Next, the inoculation of the strain (cyanobacteria, microalgae or macroalgae) is carried out. CO.sub.2 is added to the system to control the pH. The strain used grows by absorbing the CO.sub.2 and using the nutrients provided in the added mixture (drilling gravel+culture medium). The organic matrix generated after cultivation together with the mineral matrix from the drilling gravel will be the final product that will be marketed as an organomineral fertilizer (FIG. 1).

[0028] More specifically, the organic matrix is produced from the cultivation of microalgae, cyanobacteria and macroalgae with the addition of drilling gravel from any origin, whether from the pre-salt offshore, post-salt offshore, onshore, among other origins associated with the offshore and onshore environment, in concentrations based on mass/mass (kg/kg) or mass/volume (kg/L) units ranging from 0.01% to 95%, ideally 0.1%, in a culture medium or a combination of culture media. The inoculation of Nannochloropsis sp. in concentrations ranging from 1 mg/L to 1 g/L, with an ideal of 50 mg/L, in tanks or other types of transparent containers subjected to natural or artificial sunlight with a light intensity greater than 60 klux with an ideal of 120 klux, with a photoperiod of 8 to 14 hours, ideally of 12 hours. The supply of CO.sub.2 has no limitation of purity (ideally with 99% purity), as long as there is no presence of other gases in concentrations that are toxic to microalgae, cyanobacteria and macroalgae. The pH was maintained between 6 and 7, ideally with a pH of 6.5 over 36 hours to 6 days of growth, ideally three days. Salinity, measured with reference to sodium chloride, between 0.001 to 150 g/L, ideally 35 g/L. The temperature between 24 to 48° C., ideally at 36° C.

[0029] The organomineral fertilizer can be applied via soil, fertigation, hydroponics, via foliar and via plant seeds or other application form not listed here. Its physical nature can be granular comprising a solid product made up of particles in which each granule contains all the nutritional chemical elements for plants declared or guaranteed in the product. Its physical nature can also be fluid, comprising a liquid, pasty or gel product, in solution or suspension. It is understood as: [0030] 1—solid: physical nature of the product consisting of solid particles or fractions; [0031] 2—solution: specification of the physical nature of a fluid product without solid particles; [0032] 3—suspension: specification of the physical nature of a fluid product with solid particles dispersed in a fluid medium.

[0033] Nutrient chemical elements are expressed as contents in the units indicated by the relevant legislation as primary macronutrients, secondary macronutrients, micronutrients and beneficial elements of organomineral fertilizers as follows: [0034] a—primary macronutrients: Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K); [0035] b—secondary macronutrients: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg) and Sulfur (S); [0036] c—micronutrients: Boron (B), Chlorine (Cl), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), Nickel (Ni), Selenium (Se), Silicon (Si) and Zinc (Zn), among others to be discovered in the future by scientific research; [0037] d—beneficial elements: Sodium (Na), Silicon (Si), among others to be discovered in the future by scientific research.

[0038] The organomineral fertilizer comprises the following components: [0039] mineral matrix, chosen from the drilling gravel; [0040] organic matrix consisting of algal biomass produced by cultivating cyanobacteria, microalgae or macroalgae in cultivating media based on drilling gravel.

[0041] The combination of mineral and organic matrix will be formulated in proportions that meet the criteria and parameters described below.

[0042] The solid or fluid organomineral fertilizers for application to the soil or fertigation must comply with the following: [0043] 1—organic carbon: minimum of 8% (eight percent) for solid product and 3% (three percent) for fluid product; [0044] 2—humidity: maximum of 20% (twenty percent) for solid product and greater than 20% (twenty percent) for fluid product; [0045] 3—cation exchange capacity (CEC): minimum of 80 (eighty) mmol.sub.c/kg for solid product and no limitation for fluid product; [0046] 4—it may contain all or part of it, in various ratios, proportions, formulations, minimum and maximum limits of the primary and secondary macronutrients, micronutrients and guaranteed or declared beneficial elements of the product.

[0047] The solid or fluid organomineral fertilizers for foliar application, via hydroponics and via seeds must comply with the following: [0048] 1—The solid product must be soluble in water; [0049] 2—There can be added chelating agents, complexing agents or authorized additives, according to the relevant legislation.

EXAMPLES

[0050] The following examples are presented in order to more fully illustrate the nature of the present invention and the way to practice the same, without, however, being considered as limiting its content.

Example 1

Dynamic Experiment under Sunlight with Agitation and CO.SUB.2 .Injection—Methodology Used.

[0051] 1 g of ground gravel (containing Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Cu, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, P, K and Na) from drilling activities in the pre-salt layer (Pre-salt well: 9-MLL-83-RJS) to a mixture of F2 culture medium (800 ml) and BG11 medium (200 ml). This mixture was inoculated with Nannochloropsis sp. in low concentration (about 50 mg/l) in a transparent bottle exposed to natural sunlight (light intensity of 120 klux).

[0052] At the same time, another inoculation was carried out with a similar concentration and under the same lighting condition (120 klux) with a mixture of F2 medium and BG11 medium without drilling gravel, maintained as a control over time. CO.sub.2 (99% purity) was supplied to the bottles through a solenoid valve triggered by a pH controller with a glass electrode. The pH was maintained at 6.5 over three days of growth (72 hours). Abiotic parameters observed throughout the experiment: [0053] Salinity: 35 g/L; [0054] Light intensity: 120 klux (photoperiod of 12 hours/day); [0055] Temperature: 36° C.; [0056] CO.sub.2 injection: Performed; [0057] pH: 6.5 for sample with gravel; [0058] pH: 6.5 for control sample.

[0059] CO.sub.2 (99% purity) was supplied to the bottles through a solenoid valve triggered by a pH controller with a glass electrode. The pH was maintained at 6.5 over three days of growth (72 h).

Biotic Parameters Observed Throughout the Experiment:

[0060] Daily observations were carried out under an optical microscope (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) and also macroscopic observations (FIG. 5) that attested to the presence of healthy microalgae (Nannochloropsis sp.) growing in the bottle containing gravel (P) and in the control bottle (C).

[0061] After the end of the experiment, the bottles containing the cultures were kept without agitation for a week, having shown high stability in the microalgae of the control culture and in the microalgae that grew in the medium containing gravel from the pre-salt (FIG. 6).

[0062] At the end of the experiment, it was found that there was excellent growth of Nannochloropsis sp. with CO.sub.2 capture and using gravel from the pre-salt at a concentration of 1 g/l in the mixture of F2 and BG11 medium.

[0063] In addition, high stability was observed in the microalgae of the control culture and in the microalgae that grew in the medium containing gravel from the pre-salt layer, indicating a high potential for storage, if it is marketed as an organomineral fertilizer (FIG. 6). There was no visible difference between the control sample and the one containing gravel with regard to the growth obtained and the quality of the cells in both conditions. Nannochloropsis sp. demonstrated affinity with culture medium containing this type of solid residue, which represents an innovative result in relation to the international literature.

[0064] It should be noted that, although the present invention has been described in relation to the attached drawings, it may undergo modifications and adaptations by technicians skilled on the subject, depending on the specific situation, but provided that within the inventive scope defined herein.