Bio-nanotech platform for sustainable agriculture.
Approximately 24,5 million km2 of agricultural land worldwide (corresponding to 64% of it) is at risk of pesticide pollution, and 31% is at high risk.
The agrochemical industry is trying to solve this problem; however, current solutions have several limitations.
Chemical pesticides are toxic, promote pathogen resistance and have a polluting productive process.
Biological pesticides have a short shelf life and their application often requires specific environmental conditions.
By combining nanotechnology with microbiology we developed ecofriendly nanoparticles with nutritional and antimicrobial properties.
Our bio-nanoparticles are made through a green method using microorganisms (nanofactories). These unique nanofactories were isolated from Las Yungas jungle, a pristine area, where thousands of pathogenic and non-pathogenic microorganisms coexist in perfect balance.
Metallic precursors such as silver nitrate are exposed to redox enzymes produced by our microorganisms.
These redox enzymes synthesize the metallic bio-nanoparticle through an eco-friendly process. The metals undergo a reduction to turn into metallic bio-nanoparticles.
The obtained metallic bio-nanoparticles are biologically stabilized by lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins from the metabolism of the microorganism.
This biological stabilization is provided only by our nanofactories, making stable and safe bio-nanoparticles suitable for agriculture.