Bio-based organic ammonium fertilizer production using hyper-ammonia-producing bacteria

Overview

This project advances a patented method for producing organically derived ammonia and ammonium fertilizer using hyper-ammonia-producing (HAP) bacteria. The technology addresses a critical gap in organic agriculture: the limited availability of liquid nitrogen fertility options beyond traditional fish emulsions and soy-based products. By delivering ammoniacal nitrogen in liquid form directly to the plant rhizosphere, the solution enables precision fertility applications timed to crop demand. The work targets commercial-scale production of organic ammonium suitable for organic vegetable and grain operations.

Technical specifications

• Core technology: Anaerobic fermentation and distillation process using HAP bacteria, covered under US Patent 9,868,963 B2
• Feedstock flexibility: Designed to process protein substrates from various vegetable-based feedstocks and saccharides from lignocellulosic hydrolysates
• Scale-up pathway: Two-phase scale-up from 54-liter bench capacity to 100–1,000 gallon commercial bioreactor, then to 10,000 gallon production capacity with approximately 96-hour cycle times for organic feedstocks
• Modeling approach: Mathematical simulation of bio-ammonification performance across different protein substrates and concentration levels to optimize kinetics and process efficiency
• Validation scope: Evaluation of HAP bacteria growth and ammonia/ammonium output under varying substrate concentrations, with bioprocess software simulation to predict commercial-scale performance

Technology readiness level

The technology is at an early-to-mid commercial development stage. Bench-scale validation at 54-liter capacity has been completed, and industry interest has been confirmed. Current efforts focus on maturing the reaction kinetics and conducting pilot-scale experiments before scaling to 100–1,000 gallon and ultimately 10,000 gallon bioreactor capacity. Pilot validation and bioprocess simulation studies are underway to de-risk the transition to commercial production.