The Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Buenos Aires (Fauba) has inaugurated an innovative biological filter, a tool that will contribute to the efficient, ecological, and sustainable management of waste from phytosanitary products.
This development, designed and installed by professionals from the faculty, marks a significant advancement in the application of biotechnologies for modern agriculture.
A step towards sustainability in agriculture
The project emerged with the aim of incorporating sustainability themes into the agenda and improving Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).
“The challenge was to make GAP stop being just qualitative and allow them to be quantified. Thanks to the collaboration with the Argentine Chamber of the Fertilizer and Agrochemical Industry (Ciafa), a specific agreement was reached that allowed the materialization of this innovative biological filter,” explained agronomist Daniel Mazzarella.
The biological filter allows the treatment and decontamination of the remnants of spraying solutions generated in the applications of phytosanitary products, using a consortium of microorganisms that degrade the chemical compounds.
The construction of the filter follows the IRAM 29561 standard, which establishes specifications for systems for treating waste from phytosanitary products.
Mobile and replicable innovation
This filter is mobile and replicable, facilitating its adaptation to various productive scenarios and contributing to its adoption by the actors involved in agricultural production. In addition, the project includes the development of prototypes of biological beds to evaluate different substrate mixes and verify their efficiency in the degradation of waste.
Agronomist Nicolás Borrelli highlighted the promising results obtained with the work of undergraduate thesis students in the testing and optimization of the mixes. Soon, the results obtained with the formulations and protocols used will be published.
Agronomist Bruno Varsallona emphasized that “this pioneering work aims to publish scientific results that contribute new information on a key topic for sustainable agriculture; furthermore, it will allow the establishment of a quantitative and robust spraying protocol for Fauba.”
Engineer agronomist Juan Pucheta indicated that “this technology is essential to close the cycle of phytosanitary products, minimizing contamination risks and providing concrete solutions for environmental care.”
The installation of the biological filter will not only optimize waste management in the university environment, but also represents a space for training and dissemination for students, researchers, and professionals.
Leadership in innovation and education
With this initiative, the Plant Protection department of Fauba reaffirms its role as a reference in innovation, education, and sustainable agriculture. The Biochemistry department collaborates in making precise determinations to evaluate the system’s efficiency.
The inauguration was led by the dean of the Faculty of Agronomy, Adriana Rodríguez, and by Armando Allinghi, executive director of Ciafa.
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