3
–). This can then be used as an ingredient for liquid fertilizer.
“To get the conversion process started”, explains Sirui Li, researcher in the group of professor Gallucci, “the N
2 molecules first have to be ‘activated’ by introducing an electrical charge. This ensures that the bonds that hold the nitrogen atoms together are broken, creating a plasma.”
In the case of the Leap Agri mini-plant, the electricity for plasma generation is provided by solar energy, a cheap and sustainable source widely available in developing countries.
Efficient and accessible
The process is highly efficient: it produces a liquid fertilizer with a high level of nitrate that can be readily assimilated by plants. An analysis was made in Uganda by NARO researcher Stella Kabiri, who compared this fertilizer with other fertilizers on the local market. The result showed the nitrate content to be about 20 percent, which is 14, 42 and 51 percentage points higher than the solid fertilizers Am