Molecules extracted from microalgae accelerate seed germination

By Roseli Andrion  |  FAPESP Innovative R&D – Changes of plans are part of everyday life. Companies typically say they are “pivoting” when they switch to a different target market to assure success and sustainability. This is exactly what happened in the case of Insuma Biotecnologia, a startup based at Araraquara in São Paulo state, Brazil.

When biologist Flávia Bottino founded the firm, she initially wanted to show her students in practice how to use science in a business organization. She then had the idea of using microalgae to separate carbon and methane in biogas, a biofuel produced by decomposing organic matter of plant or animal origin, and use the methane efficiently. “Methane is a gas with significant potential energy, but it’s mainly used for less noble purposes. We set out to use microalgae in a biorefinery to separate these two components by means of a biological process,” she says.

This was not a random choice, as biogas plays a major role in the energy transition and the rising use of renewable fuels around the world. “Microalgae fix carbon gas via photosynthesis and are directly linked to the ongoing discussion about global warming and climate change,” she notes.

One month after embarking on the research project, with the support of FAPESP’s Innovative Research in Small Business Program (PIPE), Bottino took part in the PIPE High-Tech Entrepreneurial Training Program, known as PIPE Entrepreneur, and discovered that the idea was not viable, even though it was widely accepted in the market. “We realized that companies that separate biogas components already use a membrane in the process, so we decided to design our solution for small enterprises. However, Brazil doesn’t have enough gas pipelines for these firms to transport the methane and use it further downstream,” she explains.

In addition, she spoke with the company that imports the membrane for biogas separation. “They were interested in the technology, but only in the long run because there are no pipelines for biomethane at present. The contact that led us to abandon this solution was with GEF Biogas Brazil, who pointed out the lack of infrastructure for this undertaking and warned us that we wouldn’t survive if we tried to market such a service,” she says. GEF stands for Global Environment Facility. GEF Biogas Brazil is a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) initiative that aims to diversify Brazil’s energy sector by encouraging the use of biogas.

New project

The next step consisted of using microalgae in tests to extract biomolecules of commercial interest. The team concentrated on the possibility of improving the cultivation of different foods. “One of these molecules promotes faster germination of seeds. Roots develop and grow in three days, as well as the aerial part of the plant. This all takes place in an inert medium, in compliance with the Ministry of Agriculture’s requirements,” Bottino says.

The literature on using microalgae in agribusiness is vast, but scaling up production is a challenge. “When you increase the scale, the molecule’s behavior changes. It isn’t like producing in a test tube. You have to monitor several key variables, which is fairly costly. Right now we’re seeking to optimize the process of obtaining the molecules so as to make it more cost-effective,” she says.

The initial tests were conducted with corn, lettuce and sweet pepper. “The latter is popular in this area. It’s very hard to grow because the seeds are sensitive and easily develop fungi. It doesn’t do as well as the others but even so has benefited strikingly from the use of microalgae,” she says.

The researchers have successfully acclimatized the microalgae to an alternative culture medium. “The strains we use are versatile and adapt well,” she says, adding that the startup does not apply chemicals to any crops. “We add nutrients, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. The microalgae take these from the medium and store them. When we isolate the molecule, we find it’s already secreted hormones, amino acids and other substances that boost the growth of green vegetables.”

Small enterprises are the firm’s target market. “Mainly green vegetable growers, because the results of the tests were very promising. We’re particularly keen on the organic produce segment. Financial gains will be significant for them, given the excellent root development, which ensures the plant has the strength to grow and develop well,” she says.

In parallel, the startup has been asked to test the solution on in vitro germination of other crops. “They want to use the metabolite we’ve isolated to promote faster and more effective growth before taking it into the field,” she says. The firm also wants to establish a repository of microalgae with a variety of biochemical profiles, enabling the scientists to isolate different molecules and develop other products.

More incentives

The project to extract biomolecules in general has also been accepted for a startup funding program run by the City of Araraquara. “We were approved in first place and began receiving funds to pay for services. It’s an incentive that helps cover the cost of laboratory consumables,” Bottino says.

The researchers have conducted a potted plant germination experiment. “The plants are growing very well. No chemicals are involved, so the solution is sustainable and has affinity with regenerative agriculture,” she says.

The system is currently being tested in the field. The next step entails implementing the laboratory structure required to permit growth of the microorganism, optimize cultivation and produce at scale. “Right now I could perhaps satisfy the needs of a co-op with some 50 members. In two or three years’ time, when the lab is ready, I’ll be able to service the entire Araraquara macro-region. In future, say in about five years’ time, I plan to cover the entire Green Belt,” she says, referring to the areas with water sources and reforestation projects protected by the city’s master plan.