Australian clays as raw materials of slow-release phosphate fertiliser. Phosphorus (P) fertiliser input in Australia is a significant problem for its inefficient plant uptake, leaching to natural water bodies and stocking of insoluble P in soil. The project aims to develop activated clays using Australian raw clay minerals to formulate effective slow-release phosphate (P) fertilisers (SRF) and delivery material for P-solubilising bacteria. Composite of these will supply P controllably even amid ....Australian clays as raw materials of slow-release phosphate fertiliser. Phosphorus (P) fertiliser input in Australia is a significant problem for its inefficient plant uptake, leaching to natural water bodies and stocking of insoluble P in soil. The project aims to develop activated clays using Australian raw clay minerals to formulate effective slow-release phosphate (P) fertilisers (SRF) and delivery material for P-solubilising bacteria. Composite of these will supply P controllably even amid environmental fluctuations but when a plant needs as it grows. Development of multifunctional, nontoxic and plant growth-driven P fertiliser would benefit improve soil fertility in a sustainable way where efficiency of P input is maximised with a minimised environmental burden.Read moreRead less
High productivity of hybrid plasma electrocatalytic fertiliser production. Non-thermal plasma-driven electrocatalytic production of nitrogen fertilisers. The project aims to develop scalable technology for ambient production of fertilisers using renewable energy, air, water, and captured CO2. This project is anticipated to generate new knowledge in plasma catalysis and electrochemical coupling through designing and fine-tuning catalyst-loaded 3D scaffolds. Expected outcomes of this project inclu ....High productivity of hybrid plasma electrocatalytic fertiliser production. Non-thermal plasma-driven electrocatalytic production of nitrogen fertilisers. The project aims to develop scalable technology for ambient production of fertilisers using renewable energy, air, water, and captured CO2. This project is anticipated to generate new knowledge in plasma catalysis and electrochemical coupling through designing and fine-tuning catalyst-loaded 3D scaffolds. Expected outcomes of this project include increasing the capacity to adopt low-cost and decentralised methods for renewable energy utilisation. This should provide substantial technological capacity that can be applied to other sectors of Australia's developing hydrogen economy and expand the use of renewable energy Power-to-X for zero-emissions energy vectors.Read moreRead less
Plasma driven electrochemical synthesis of urea. Urea is the most used nitrogen fertilizer in the world, with more urea manufactured by mass than any other organic chemical. However, the world is experiencing a major shortage of the compound, impacting our food costs and security along with dependent products such as AdBlue (diesel exhaust fluid). Commercial urea production relies on a complex reaction between ammonia and carbon dioxide at high temperatures, which consumes more than 2% of the w ....Plasma driven electrochemical synthesis of urea. Urea is the most used nitrogen fertilizer in the world, with more urea manufactured by mass than any other organic chemical. However, the world is experiencing a major shortage of the compound, impacting our food costs and security along with dependent products such as AdBlue (diesel exhaust fluid). Commercial urea production relies on a complex reaction between ammonia and carbon dioxide at high temperatures, which consumes more than 2% of the world’s energy. This project aims to produce more sustainable urea driven by electricity and using air and captured CO2, through the use of a plasma-driven electrochemical technology, providing farmers with a low-cost fertilizer under a decentralized and secure supply. Read moreRead less
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH210100001
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,062,428.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE). Urban utilities are in need to design resilient wastewater infrastructure to tackle the pressures of urban intensification, waterways pollution and climate change. This Hub aims to transform the wastewater industry with an unprecedented, city-scale circular economy of nutrients based on urine separation and processing at building level, to produce safe and effective liquid fertilisers. By engaging with stakeholders across the value cha ....ARC Research Hub for Nutrients in a Circular Economy (NiCE). Urban utilities are in need to design resilient wastewater infrastructure to tackle the pressures of urban intensification, waterways pollution and climate change. This Hub aims to transform the wastewater industry with an unprecedented, city-scale circular economy of nutrients based on urine separation and processing at building level, to produce safe and effective liquid fertilisers. By engaging with stakeholders across the value chain, this Hub expects to bring two urine processing technologies to commercial readiness, and to produce new regulations and business models for the circular economy. This will add resilience to the wastewater and urban farming industries, and will create market opportunities for new Australian technologies.Read moreRead less
Engineered graphene-based nanofertilizers to improve crop nutrition. This project seeks to evaluate the unique properties of graphene to more effectively engineer novel fertilizers with properties that can enhance nutrient efficiency and reduce losses to the environment. More efficient and effective fertilizer formulations are needed to improve nutrient use efficiency in agricultural systems globally, and for effective biofortification of staple food crops with essential micronutrients. Nitrogen ....Engineered graphene-based nanofertilizers to improve crop nutrition. This project seeks to evaluate the unique properties of graphene to more effectively engineer novel fertilizers with properties that can enhance nutrient efficiency and reduce losses to the environment. More efficient and effective fertilizer formulations are needed to improve nutrient use efficiency in agricultural systems globally, and for effective biofortification of staple food crops with essential micronutrients. Nitrogen may be lost from soil through leaching and gaseous losses to the atmosphere. Phosphorus, as well as copper, manganese and zinc, are prone to reactions in soils and during manufacturing which reduces their effectiveness.Read moreRead less
A Novel Phosphate Fertiliser Enhanced by Biofertiliser Technology. This project will deliver efficient use of the limited supplies of high quality phosphorus minerals as fertiliser-P, simultaneously acting to reverse and prevent soil acidification. These cost-effective benefits from utilising Australia's microbial biodiversity will have major economic and environmental impacts in rural Australia,increasing the profitability of farming and reducing the potential for contamination of aquatic syste ....A Novel Phosphate Fertiliser Enhanced by Biofertiliser Technology. This project will deliver efficient use of the limited supplies of high quality phosphorus minerals as fertiliser-P, simultaneously acting to reverse and prevent soil acidification. These cost-effective benefits from utilising Australia's microbial biodiversity will have major economic and environmental impacts in rural Australia,increasing the profitability of farming and reducing the potential for contamination of aquatic systems and groundwater with nutrients causing algal blooms. By solving needs for fertiliser-P while preventing acidification of soil, farmers are expected to welcome this novel fertiliser technology.Read moreRead less
Nanostructured liquid crystal particles as Next Generation agricultural bioactive delivery systems. Improving the efficiency of use of agricultural chemicals, through utilization of novel liquid crystalline carriers particles, will deliver significant environmental and economic benefits. Reduced overall usage and input of chemicals into the environment, together with lower water consumption in the treatment of crops will contribute to an Environmentally Sustainable Australia, with benefits in re ....Nanostructured liquid crystal particles as Next Generation agricultural bioactive delivery systems. Improving the efficiency of use of agricultural chemicals, through utilization of novel liquid crystalline carriers particles, will deliver significant environmental and economic benefits. Reduced overall usage and input of chemicals into the environment, together with lower water consumption in the treatment of crops will contribute to an Environmentally Sustainable Australia, with benefits in reduced salinity. More economical farming will also lead to flow on benefits to other businesses in rural communities. The project will also enhance Australia's reputation in the uptake of nanotechnologies, and in training of young scientists in the nanotechnology field.Read moreRead less
Enhanced efficiency fertilisers for agricultural sustainability and environmental quality. Expected benefits will come from reduced environmental impact and improved profitability of farming. These include: demonstrably reduced emissions of nitrogen gases (nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas), nitric oxide (ozone active), and ammonia (a pollutant and secondary greenhouse gas); less nitrate leaching, soil acidification and nitrogen contamination of water resources; increased flexibility in timing and ....Enhanced efficiency fertilisers for agricultural sustainability and environmental quality. Expected benefits will come from reduced environmental impact and improved profitability of farming. These include: demonstrably reduced emissions of nitrogen gases (nitrous oxide (a greenhouse gas), nitric oxide (ozone active), and ammonia (a pollutant and secondary greenhouse gas); less nitrate leaching, soil acidification and nitrogen contamination of water resources; increased flexibility in timing and method of fertiliser application; reduced requirement for nitrogen fertiliser, and; helping farmers adapt to future climatic and elevated CO2 conditions. These outcomes will significantly improve and help protect the future financial and environmental conditions of rural Australia, and improve our national greenhouse account. Read moreRead less
Evaluating the effects of fipronil, a moderately persistent new generation pesticide, on Australian native vertebrates. The Australian Plague Locust Commission is considering replacing an organophosphate pesticide with fipronil, a relatively new phenyl pyrazole pesticide, because it more specifically targets invertebrate animals. However, fipronil is more environmentally persistent, has high lipid solubility, is known to disrupt thyroid function and has wide variation in its toxicity to vertebra ....Evaluating the effects of fipronil, a moderately persistent new generation pesticide, on Australian native vertebrates. The Australian Plague Locust Commission is considering replacing an organophosphate pesticide with fipronil, a relatively new phenyl pyrazole pesticide, because it more specifically targets invertebrate animals. However, fipronil is more environmentally persistent, has high lipid solubility, is known to disrupt thyroid function and has wide variation in its toxicity to vertebrates . These characteristics place native vertebrate species at risk. Further, because peak locust activity is coincident with vertebrate breeding, there is likelihood that fipronil will affect development of young and the health of adults. We propose to launch the first comprehensive study of fipronil's effects on the health and vitality of native vertebrate adults and their offspring. We will focus on dasyurid marsupials and native birds that co-occur with plague locusts.Read moreRead less
Bioinspired tuneable catalysts for renewable ammonia production. The project will design a new solar-powered system for electrosynthesis of ammonia to replace the current energy intensive, non-sustainable process that generates 1.5% of global CO2 emissions. An innovative new system will be developed by combining cutting edge electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Expected key outcomes include novel concepts in the design of advanced materials, and an efficient process for the gr ....Bioinspired tuneable catalysts for renewable ammonia production. The project will design a new solar-powered system for electrosynthesis of ammonia to replace the current energy intensive, non-sustainable process that generates 1.5% of global CO2 emissions. An innovative new system will be developed by combining cutting edge electrochemical, spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Expected key outcomes include novel concepts in the design of advanced materials, and an efficient process for the green ammonia synthesis. Given the strategic importance of ammonia as a future energy carrier for the export of Australian renewables and as a major source of fertilisers, this project should provide significant national economic and ecological benefits and is expected to have a broad reaching global impact.Read moreRead less