Arkeale’s innovation for chemical-free farming
Arkeale recycles liquid digestate without the use of chemicals
TheBioCapsule®does more than simply offer regions energy self-sufficiency by utilising local resources. It goes a step further by closing the nutrient cycle through the recovery of digestate and its return to the soil.
To ensure a circular process and an environmentally friendly return to the soil,Hélène Mastin,co-founderof Arkealeand a PhD student in biochemistry, is developing aninnovative process in collaboration withINRAE. This system ensures the stability and availability of nitrogen for plants within the liquid digestate produced by the BioCapsule®, enablingoptimised fertigationwithout the addition of chemical agents.
The challenge of utilisation: why is liquid digestate difficult to use?
Theliquidfraction ofdigestateshashigh nutritional value for the soil. Rich in nitrogen, calcium and magnesium, it could replace certain synthetic mineral fertilisers derived from fossil resources. However, its properties remain poorly documented, which limits its optimal use.
The ammoniacal nitrogenpresent in liquid digestate from bio-waste tends tovolatilise during application. This can lead to agronomic losses and greenhouse gas emissions, making the use of liquid digestate challenging. Until now, this has requiredspecialised equipment – oftencostlyandcumbersome, such as drip-line application systems – in order to use this natural fertiliser correctly without harming soil health.
We therefore had a product withhigh fertilising potential, but one that was difficult to utilise effectively.
TheArkealeinnovation: transforming liquid digestate into precision fertiliser
To address this issue and optimise the utilisation of digestate from theBioCapsule®,weare developingaprocess for the filtration and biological acidification of liquid digestate, without the addition of any external chemical agents.
1. A ‘zero-chemicals’ solution
The liquid digestates from theBioCapsule® are standardised and fully compatible withdripirrigation systems. This process ensures safe application to the soil, particularly asour liquid digestates arefreefrom heavy metals. They thus provide aneffectiveand100 per cent organicalternativeto synthetic mineral fertilisers.
2. More sustainable and profitable farming
Thanks to its compatibility with irrigation systems, applyingBioCapsule®digestatesis extremely straightforward. This allows you todrastically reduce your application costswhilst precisely nourishing yoursoil.