The clunk of discarded hair on the salon base could one twenty-four hours help to grow your lunchtime salad , thanks to scientists from Nanyang Technological University , Singapore ( NTU Singapore ) , who have created the outgrowth medium used in urban farming using keratin extracted from human hair .
The ceratin - base substrates develop by the NTU research team have been screen with crops such as microgreens and leafy vegetable , including the Chinese cabbage bok choy and arugula leaves , also sleep together as rocket engine .
From left to right : Dr. Pan Xiaoyong , Research Fellow , NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering ; Professor Hu Xiao , NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering ; Professor Ng Kee Woei , Associate Chair ( Research ) , NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering ; and Dr. Zhao Zhitong , Research Fellow , NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering , holding up various raw fabric ( such as human fuzz and keratin solution ) and their keratin - based aquiculture substrate
In their study , the NTU researchers first draw out ceratin from human hair gathered from hair beauty salon . The keratin solution is mixed with cellulose fibers to beef up it , which is then dried into a spongy substrate .
The substrate is sustainable , biodegradable , and eco - favorable as it is made from waste stuff and becomes a seed of nutrients for the plants as it degrade . The takings from this keratin - ground substratum is comparable to material currently available on the grocery store .
Dr. Zhao Zhitong , Research Fellow , NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering , and Professor Ng Kee Woei , Associate Chair ( Research ) , NTU School of Materials Science and Engineering .
Professor Ng Kee Woei , Associate Chair ( Research ) at NTU ’s School of Materials Science and Engineering ( MSE ) , who led the inquiry , say : “ Besides hair , livestock farming produce large amounts of ceratin as biowastes , as it is found abundantly in fleece , horn , hooves , and feathers . Since ceratin can be extract from many eccentric of farm wastes , developing ceratin - base hydroponic substrate could be an significant strategy for reprocess farm wastes as part of sustainable agriculture . ”
The researchers hope their substratum offers a renewable choice to current commercial offerings , such as those made from stone woollen , polyurethan , and phenolic foams , which are not sustainable and do not provide sustenance to plants .
The ceratin - found substrate is ideal for growing microgreens such as Chinese dough ( bok choy ) and arugula ( Eruca sativa leaf ) . A gramme of human hair can produce about three blocks of substrates of about 1.5 cm by 1.5 cm by 3 cm , or the sizing of a little deoxyephedrine cube .
Keratin is compose of amino acids that are a source of nutrient for plant growth . These aminic acids can also bind other type of nutrients and discharge them under controlled conditions . Keratin , therefore , has great voltage as a ontogeny medium used in aquiculture and urban agribusiness , where the timely liberation of nutrients and water is crucial .
However , keratin is not solid enough by itself to form a substratum . The researchers commix it with cellulose fibers to beef up its structure and ameliorate its water - swell capabilities . The cellulose was draw out from softwood pulp magazine , meaning the final Cartesian product is sustainable .
The resulting ceratin - cellulose substratum stop a highly interconnected stomate structure , which give up for improved capillary legal action . This lets the substrate draw up the water - base nutrient solution to continuously feed water system and nutrients to the plant root .
For more selective information : Mr. Lester HioNanyang Technological University , Singapore[email protected]www.ntu.edu.sg
