SBIR-STTR Award

Glanris Inc. in cooperation with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Department of Chemistry proposes the development of a low-cost sustainable green adsorbent/fertilizer produced from agricultural waste (rice hulls). It will adsorb and hold nutrients that promote the eutrophication of natural waters after runoff from contaminated soil. This product modified by chemistries proposed under this Grant application would prevent the discharge of nitrates and phosphates (primary plant nutrients) from entering surface and ground waters either from agricultural runoff or wastewater treatment facilities. The nutrient-enhanced biochar product made from rice husks (RHBC) could also be used to augment soil by delivering the adsorbed nutrients to the plants in addition to biochar's well-known improvements in soil pH water- holding capacity carbon sequestration ion exchange and microorganism promotion. Glanris Inc. produces RHBC. Rice is the world's third most-produced crop with more than 750 metric tons produced annually. At 150 million tons rice husks are a major source of agricultural waste. RHBC sequesters a significant fraction of the rice husk carbon. The conversion of biomass to biochar removes carbon from the normal carbon cycle converting it to stable carbon that won't break down for hundreds to 1000's of years thus reducing greenhouse gasses that lead to climate change. The potential for carbon sequestration is huge. This Grant will fund research efforts towards the goal of scaling up the production of low-cost modified RHBCs effective at removing contaminants from agricultural and storm water runoff. Low-cost treatment techniques to generate chemically augmented biochar or other chemical iterations will be developed and commercialized. The technologies to enhance the RHBC have been developed in the MSU labsat a small scale. The ultimate goal of the team would be to develop large-scale production up toa cubic yard per day during Phase II at a production cost of ≤$250/cubic yard.