The broader impact/commercial potnetial of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project is to improve hydroponic production of leafy greens. Growing food indoors hydroponically produces locally grown vegetables with minimal or no pesticide or herbicide use. A key challenge is the limitation on crop volume based on farm size. This project will advance a fertilizer that can grow an additional 10 to 20% more with current space and equipment. It will have an impact on global farming by increasing crop volume without environmental impact. This SBIR Phase I project will explore translation of an innovative method for trisulfide production for use in fertilizers. Tasks include development of a simple, one-step synthesis of the fertilizer from inexpensive, commercially available starting materials. Further work includes investigation of synthesis parameters for development of a process at the 500 g scale, then further exploration of the parameter space for eventual industrial production.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.
