Applications of chestnut shells for sustainable agriculture

Pollution of water resources is linked to wastewater discharges generated by formal and informal human activities, where more than 80% goes to rivers or the sea without treatment. In the specific case of water contamination with heavy metals, it affects food safety where research has reported their presence in agricultural products, marine species, meat, etc.

Likewise, the high toxicity has generated public health problems such as conditions with damage to vital organs and even cancer, which is worrying. For example, the scale of the project problem falls on 187 thousand inhabitants in the Amazon region of Madre de Dios due to illegal mining that contaminates the water and the deforestation of 23 thousand hectares affecting 46 indigenous communities in the last 3 years.

The problem is global since the latest “World Water Resources Development Report 2023” from the United Nations has progress in achieving the goals of SDG 6 halfway towards the 2030 Agenda and there is a lack of information on progress. in 5 of the 11 goals. Progress towards achieving goals is insufficient; and in some areas the level of implementation aimed at meeting these goals should quadruple or more to guarantee the availability, sustainable management and sanitation of water in the world.

Although various technologies have been developed to improve water quality, however, the other problem is the complexity and high costs in the design, technical aspects and application, which is unattainable for any citizen in both urban and rural areas.

The solution is to make boards considering the chestnut shell as a component and build a first cube, the interior of which has three filters of different granular sizes of pulverized shell; One side of the bucket has a closing lid that slides vertically for maintenance. The second component is another larger cube that contains the first cube inside. It also has a lid on one side that slides vertically to ensure operation. We apply biosorption technology where various sizes of biomass are used as a source to trap heavy metals in contaminated waters for agriculture.

This idea focuses its value on improving the quality of water and protecting the health of the citizen, being transformative since the chestnut shell is an agent that retains heavy metals, 100% of this waste is used during the process of peeling the whole chestnut and generates a new technology. It differs from other similar ones because the design and use are practical in its installation by connecting it to any pipe of various types for water storage. Additionally, its low cost will allow it to be accessible to any user in the urban or rural area, achieving success. The idea has the potential to generate another business model in the chestnut sector because, through the tools of the circular economy, the waste would be returned as a new product to be marketed to agro-exporters.

The solution would be used in agricultural water supply systems close to rivers and lakes to preserve the ecosystem of agricultural products. Also, in aquaculture and animal husbandry, since according to the National Water Authority (ANA), rivers of the Madre de Dios region are the most contaminated in the country due to the presence of heavy metals due to illegal mining.

The impact of the project would improve the health of almost 180 thousand residents of Madre de Dios and their salaries would increase if the technology is marketed to agro-exporters located along the coast that need to improve the quality and care of the fruits in response to the demands of the international market. being the second important sector in the country and the main generator of employment, especially women and young people. Likewise, the project has the possibility of being replicated in the countries of Bolivia and Brazil since, together with Peru, they are the only countries that commercially produce Amazonian chestnuts called Brazil nuts.

The person in charge of the team is an Industrial Engineer specialized in innovation and new technologies who works and identifies the communities that supply whole chestnuts, the processing companies and has developed 5 technological projects in the chestnut sector in the Madre de Dios region of the Peruvian Amazon. He constantly travels to said region and has known the supply chain of the chestnut sector since 2014, which would contribute by facilitating inputs in the design and development of the new technology. Likewise, he has worked in agro-export companies which would contribute to marketing.

The second specialist has 15 years of experience, has developed 4 innovation projects in the chestnut sector, achieving patents on utility models, knows the problems, has environmental studies with a territorial focus and commercial aspects, which will be of great contribution to the project for the escalation.

The third specialist is a microbiologist with 7 years of experience in bioremediation and research development and implementation of water projects with heavy metals for international agencies in the Amazon. Her contribution is to validate the results of water analysis.

• Together with specialists from the International Trader Center, the tools of the circular economy were used and the different benefits of chestnut shells were determined.

• The technological surveillance tool has been used on uses and applications of chestnut peel in the world, where its retaining power of heavy metals specifically from the Amazonian chestnut has been demonstrated in Peru. Likewise, there is a study in Spain of another type of nut that supports the proposal.

• The chestnut processing flow chart has been developed.

• The shell has been identified and separated, placed in bags, weighed approximately 100 kilos and stored.

• The team has participated and managed to patent a utility model for an “AUTOMATIC SYSTEM FOR BREAKING AND SELECTION OF NUTS AND SIMILAR NUTS” that contributes to optimizing peeling and obtaining the chestnut shell efficiently.

• The team has achieved a project in the “DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOTYPE FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE DRYING PROCESS OF CHESTNUT IN SHELL FOR EXPORT” which consisted of a device to classify whole chestnuts into 3 sizes and laboratory analysis.

• The device of this project has been designed with a technical patentability report.

• It was presented to the APEXA association made up of 7 chestnut processing companies who are interested in supporting the proposal by enabling it with shell. He spoke with the agro-exporter ICASOL that sells grapes to the United States market, which showed interest because it would impact the reduction of their costs since they use very expensive equipment. Likewise, we have mapped potential agro-export clients nationwide.

We require financing to purchase materials, supplies, necessary tools and professional services for the construction of the prototype, laboratory analysis costs for testing, authorization permits, operating expenses for mobility and procedures, etc. Well, the prototype and the first validation tests will be carried out in the capital city because there is a lack of laboratories in the Amazon. Then, expenses for transportation and operations for the implementation of the prototype in the Madre de Dios region.

Likewise, we need help (non-monetary) to know various topics, tools and experiences with advice related to technical aspects, market studies, business model and legal requirements for commercialization and achieving the success of the project.

The solution eliminates contaminants from water and to be safe for use in agriculture. This is achieved with bioadsorption technology in the chestnut shell, making it effective as a heavy metal remover in a physical-chemical system.

Generally, this waste is used as fuel for equipment in industry and homes, however, it could be considered a valuable resource that generates economic income and changes the perception of using renewable energy. Likewise, the agro-export market and consumers around the world are increasingly looking for more sustainable ways with products that guarantee safe nutrition, with chestnut shell-based technology being an alternative.

The proposal addresses societal problems as there is an increase in incidences of waterborne diseases, the growing need for safe drinking water and increased awareness about the harmful effects of impure water are key factors driving the market. In this sense, technology contributes to improving the health of residents and protecting the animal ecosystem by consuming agricultural products irrigated with quality water, achieving a positive environmental impact.

We consider its high scalability if developed in large volume that could be extended to Bolivia and Brazil that produce chestnuts and applied in various regions with contaminated water. The circular economy is promoted by taking advantage of this low-cost agroforestry waste without cutting down trees in the Amazon, which would allow the sustainability of the project. Also, it could change other markets with similar needs; such as water purifiers for human consumption, since according to IMARC Group, the global size of this product reached 46.3 billion US dollars in 2022 and in the future, it is expected to reach 78.1 billion US dollars by 2028, with a growth rate of 9.35% during 2023-2028.

The solution will have impact for the following reasons:

Our strength lies in the immediate availability of raw materials. We strategically work with companies, for example Amazon Nuts SAC, that process chestnuts to obtain the shells and are authorized to issue forestry guides that are legal requirements for transportation and trade.

With the company Amazon Nuts SAC, we were able to identify the classification of whole chestnuts by 3 sizes, improve peeling and obtain more uniform shells that allow finer pulverizing and consequently greater effectiveness in retention, which are supported by related research such as: (a) Doctoral Thesis by Marta Cobas from the University of Vigo in Spain that demonstrates the effectiveness of the peel of a species of chestnuts in the elimination of heavy metals (b) Thesis in Chemical Sciences in the “Study of the adsorption of aromatic compounds using activated carbon prepared from chestnut shell” from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and (c) Master's Thesis on “Removal of lead (II) ions from synthetic waters using the biosorbent obtained from chestnut shell” from the San Agustin University from Arequipa in Peru.

The probabilities of being profitable are high, since the shell has an almost zero price that is counted as waste; The greatest costs would be the analysis of the results, services, transportation, labor and others. Likewise, we have a physical space available with quality standards for the development of the prototype.

We are aligned with the National Environmental Education Policy and Forestry and Wildlife Law, of public entities concerned with reducing pollution, this will allow us to offer the product in regions nationwide for its implementation in populations and agriculture affected by illegal mining or tailings. of industries, for example.

The impact would be even greater if we consider other markets such as the urban population of the main cities. According to a recent report by the Association of Real Estate Companies of Peru (ASEI), the housing supply registered 861 projects for sale in January 2024, with a total Of 38,752 units available in the capital Lima attributed to sustainable construction as a result of climate change, real estate companies have begun to opt for alternatives that guarantee respect and care for the environment with new technologies such as solar panels, treatment plants and smart electrical systems successfully implemented in urban and business projects. In the medium term of 5 years this would be replicated in the main cities of the 24 regions of the country; this trend provides opportunities in scaling the proposal.

The IMPACT is to contribute to improving the quality of water for agriculture, particularly in family agricultural units of less than 10 hectares, and in general the health of the community's riparian ecosystem.

The RESULT is to improve the quality of water used in agriculture.

Progress is measured with INDICATORS:

• Volume of wastewater discharged directly into the river system.

• Effective adsorption capacity of chestnut shell in the removal of contaminants, especially heavy metals.

• Reduced toxicity, it is evaluated whether the solution contributes to reducing the toxicity of the treated water, benefiting aquatic organisms and families.

• Wastewater treatment standards established and effectively applied.

• Real application observed in the implementation in water treatment systems and its impact on the water quality of family agricultural units.

The indicators aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are:

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation:

• Indicator: Proportion of the population with access to safely managed water.

• Impact: The chestnut shell solution improves water quality, contributing to access to clean water.

SDG 12: Responsible production and consumption:

• Indicator: Amount of waste generated and managed safely.

• Impact: Using chestnut shell as an adsorbent reduces waste and promotes sustainability.

SDG 14: Life below water:

• Indicator: Concentration of heavy metals in bodies of water.

• Impact: The solution helps reduce aquatic pollution and protects marine life.

SDG 15: Life on terrestrial ecosystems:

• Indicator: Sustainable use of natural resources.

• Impact: By taking advantage of the chestnut shell as a resource, the sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems is promoted.

SDG 17: Partnerships to achieve the goals:

• Indicator: Collaboration between regional governments, companies and civil society.

• Impact: Successful implementation of the solution requires partnerships and cooperation.

The solution is composed of:

(a) A first stage with ancestral technology through the process of peeling and classifying the entire chestnut to obtain the shell, this is achieved with techniques of position, precision, speed, cutting pressure, selection by size carried out by residents of chestnut communities being studied and systematized with a patentability report in order to ensure an appropriate and uniform component in the spray to take advantage of its adsorbent properties.

(b) The second stage with clean and modern bioremediation technology that through the processes Specialized biosorption techniques use pulverized chestnut shell as natural biomass to obtain a biosorbent that traps and retains contaminants on its surface, thus purifying water based on physical and chemical conditions.

(c) The third stage is the product and manufacturing technology which involves developing the design and manufacturing, research and development, process optimization and construction of the final product, in our case it is obtaining a biosorbent cube, which starts with making boards or wooden planks considering the chestnut shell as a component and then build a first bucket, the interior of which has three filters of different granular sizes of pulverized shell; One side of the bucket has a fully closing lid that slides vertically to remove the filters for maintenance. The second component is another larger cube that contains the first cube inside. It also has a lid on one side that slides vertically to secure.

This solution focuses its value on improving water quality and protecting citizen health, being transformative since the chestnut shell is an agent that retains heavy metals, 100% of this waste is used during the process of peeling the whole chestnut and generates a new technology. It differs from other similar ones because the design and use are practical in its installation by connecting it to any pipe of various types for water storage. Additionally, its low cost will allow it to be accessible to any user in the urban or rural area, achieving success. The idea has the potential to generate another business model in the chestnut sector because, through the tools of the circular economy, waste would be returned into a new product to be marketed in agriculture and other sectors such as construction of sanitary facilities for homes, industries, etc.

The following personnel are available to develop the solution:

• Carlos Ticla, full-time project manager

• Christine Berg, second full-time project manager

• Patricia Meza, part-time specialist

• 3 additional part-time people from the company Amazon Nuts SAC dedicated to the processing of Amazonian chestnuts in Madre de Dios.

• Between 5 to 10 women from chestnut communities who are experts in peeling chestnuts according to their availability.

• Laboratory analysis service

• Wood center service

The proposal has been worked on for 4 years as it is complemented by other projects that contribute to its improvement, such as chestnut peeling.

We are a group of professionals who love nature, protecting the biodiversity of the Amazon using innovation and respect for people and institutions. We focus on planning, using appropriate management tools and commitment to completing projects in a pleasant environment for our internal and external collaborators.

We ensure the diversity of our team by fully accepting their traditional cultural and social origins without exception since 100% of our internal and external collaborators come from the different regions of our country.

To strategically achieve equity, our procedures, activities and project execution consider regulatory guidelines for access to opportunities in the professional and personal development of all our collaborators.

Finally, we ensure an inclusive team working in an appropriate environment with policies of mutual respect without discrimination and harassment. We are committed to and value the vulnerable native communities of the Amazon such as the chestnut growers, for example, who seek to improve their living conditions with integration and new innovative trends.

The Business Model with social and environmental impact are:

1. Transformation purpose: Protect the Amazon and improve the quality of life of communities affected by water pollution.

2. Measurement of social impact: Contribute to improving water quality for agriculture, particularly in family agricultural units of less than 10 hectares, and improve the health of the community's riparian ecosystem.

3. Interest groups: (a) Public: municipalities, regions, ministry of the environment responsible for protecting the ecosystem. (b) Private: agro-exporters that improve their products with quality water. The segment of the affected population is the family agricultural units of the communities near the contaminated rivers or lakes.

4. Problems: (a) Specific, water contamination with heavy metals reported in agricultural products, marine species, meats, etc. affecting food security. And the high toxicity in public health that damages vital organs even cancer. (b) Global: progress on the SDG 6 goals is halfway towards the 2030 Agenda.

5. Value Proposition: Supply purified water to agriculture, vital for the growth of healthy crops, disease prevention and food security. Its proper use makes a difference in the productivity and sustainability of agriculture.

6. Key activities to implement: (a) Obtain chestnut shells with appropriate ancestral technologies to take advantage of their adsorbent power (b) Apply bioremediation technology by bioadsorption that guarantees that the chestnut shell retains heavy metals from contaminated waters (c ) Develop with product and manufacturing technology a biosorbent bucket that retains heavy metals from contaminated water for agricultural irrigation.

7. Resources: chestnuts to obtain the shells, specialists, laboratories, transportation, workshops, equipment and tools. The key actors are the chestnut communities; Amazon Nuts SAC, a chestnut processor, residents with ancestral skills in chestnut peeling, and the National Forestry and Wildlife Authority for sustainable management.

8. Distribution channels: It is delivered directly to affected family farming communities by the project team. If the distribution is to agricultural exporters, the direct channels are social networks and personalized visits; and indirect channels on websites, sales networks and third-party stores specializing in agricultural equipment.

9. Differential advantage: (a) Effective: chestnut shell has excellent properties to eliminate heavy metals with high adsorption capacity (b) Low cost: it is waste from the agroforestry sector unlike others and does not require high investments (c) Sustainable: by using byproducts, it reduces waste and optimizes resources (d) Its applicability is adequate to improve water quality and is integrated into the water treatment system to irrigate agricultural crops.

10. Income: Margins due to high volume in sales through third parties to agro-export companies that show high interest in paying a good price for a sustainable product.

11. Costs: Manufacturing operations, transportation, laboratory analysis and specialized water validation studies, etc.

Our plan for financial sustainability is as follows:

Diversify: (a) Sale of additional by-products such as compost or artisanal products valued by tourists (b) Sale of technology, evidence of CONCYTEC public financing for 20 thousand dollars for 2 patents: peeling (WO 2022/045904 A1) and pre-drying classified (WO 2022/114971 A1) of chestnut, available for licensing to other companies.

Strategic agreements: (1) Amazon Nuts SAC Company: (a) Key ally, which obtains the whole chestnuts and can benefit from the shell or make new applications. (b) Public competitive fund in association, we managed to develop a prototype to classify chestnuts for an approximate value of 10 thousand US dollars. (2) Regional governments that have PROCOMPITE programs for financing innovation (3) NGOs that support initiatives through funding contests such as AMAZONTEC located in the Amazon. (4) APEXA, association of chestnut processing companies in Madre de Dios interested in projects that benefit the sector.

Develop a business model that combines training services on experiences in waste management and sustainability or personalized solutions for companies.

Establish indicators with metrics that include income generated from the sale of chestnut shells, reduction of contaminants in treated water, operating costs and profit margin.

Communicate and be transparent to potential investors, clients and other interested parties with continuous financial evaluation of the project.

Find investors by clearly presenting the value proposition and the problem it solves, identify interests in the sector, develop detailed cash flows, return on investment (ROI) forecasts and market analysis, attend networking events, explore investment platforms crowdfunding, angel investors and equity funds, participate in acceleration programs, etc.

Evaluating the long-term ROI through a holistic approach with multiple dimensions where the benefits exceed the costs and positive impacts on health, the economy and the environment are achieved, the chestnut shell solution gives you a significant return on investment.