Climate change is making water increasingly scarce. Tulln-based Agrobiogel, a spin-off of BOKU vienna and the Austrian centre of industrial biotechnology (acib), has developed a natural/biological, wood-based hydrogel that can absorb many times its weight in water, store it and release it continuously to soils over long periods of time. This will allow agriculture to use water more efficiently in the future and provide water to drought areas.
Agrobiogel, acib and BOKU want to prevent global water crisis
The Tulln-based start-up Agrobiogel developed a hydrogel from renewable raw materials in cooperation with the Austrian Centre of Industrial Biotechnology (acib) and BOKU. Hydrogels – also called superabsorbents – are polymeric materials capable of absorbing and storing many times their own weight in water and slowly and continuously releasing it back into the environment.
Impact and benefits
Currently, the Tulln-based start-up near Vienna is already producing larger quantities for the Austrian market with its own machines. Via corporate partners such as the Salzburg garden market company Florissa, the hydrogel in 800g packs for professional and hobby gardeners is on the shelves throughout Austria for the time being. “Demand is already exceeding production capacity, which is why we want to expand our production and product range. Interested customers come from segments of agriculture as well as forestry. Vertical farming for the greening of highway roads or house facades is also being considered. In principle, there is no limit to the range of applications. Last but not least, the technology would have the potential to gradually bring about a turnaround in agriculture and offer a breakthrough in the global fight against droughts.
