1. EKO GEA FOR A GRICULTURE
The influence of EKO-GEA
on crop production, soil health,
waste management and biogas
Professor Mir-M. Seyedbagheri
Soil Scientist, Soil Agronomist & Biometeorologist
NewGen
WwT & Biogas
Production
Plants

2. C OMPANY B ACKGROUND
Since 1995
Additives (Ascophyllum nodosum marine algae extraction)
for:
Waste treatment (water, MSW, compost, manure
management, etc.)
Agriculture (crops, soils, turfgrass, etc.)
Animal Nutrition
Biogas production
Aquaculture
Others
• Any biological process
• Many physical-chemical processes

3. “ C ROP PRODUCTION IS ON THE FRONTLINE
AGAINST WORLD HUNGER AND POVERTY ”
J ACQUES D IOUF, D IRECTOR -G ENERAL , FAO
By 2050 the world population will double
Crop production will need to double
• Soil organic matter has declined drastically worldwide
• We need to become smarter at maximising our resources
• Water quantity and quality are declining
• Soils are becoming salt affected and diseased
• Cost of production is increasing
• WE HAVE SOME WORK TO DO!

4. S OIL AS A LIVING TISSUE

5. Soil is a living system
Since 1900 soil organic matter
drastically declined in the US and
all over the world .

6. PROPERTY OF EKO GEA
Combination with clay minerals
Function as “Soil Architect“
Creates A Foundation For a Healthy Soil
Chelation
Match Maker—
The Ions Are Happily Married
Mineralization
Smart Soil Accountant—Positive Cash Flow
Continue…

7. PROPERTY OF EKO GEA
Buffer effect
Soil’s Advanced Handyman
Buffers Variability in Soil Elements
• Cation exchange
Honest Banker with 0% Interest
with Five Times the Profit Margin

8. It is well known that a large
proportion (50-100%) of soil organic
matter is bound onto the mineral
matrix of soil.
P. Leinweber et al.
Institute of Biophysics and Biochemistry
University of Regensburg

9. C LAY - HUMIC ASSOCIATION VIA BINDING
HS TO CLAY BY CATIONIC BRIDGES

10. Transmission electron micrograph of a 0.01% (w/v) HA solution.
The scale: 0.4 cm = 1 µm. HAs and FAs form flat elongated multi-
branched filaments of 20 to 100 nm in width. Smallest particles
are spheroids of 9-12 nm in diameter.

11. N UTRIENT EXCHANGE
Clay CEC 20 to 40 ------- Organic Acids CEC 250 to 500
Fixed Exchangeable Water Soluble
Slowly More Readily
Available Available Available
Clay Particle
Organic Acid

12. E LEMENTS I NTERACT:
M ULDER ’ S CHART INTERACTION OF ELEMENTS
Ca
Mn
Synergize K
Increase availability to plant Cu
Fe
Antagonize P
Decrease availability to plant
Mg
Mo
B
Zn N

13. W HAT IS IT ?
W HAT DOES IT D O ?
• Unique Nutrition for organism +
environmental Microbiology
• Soil amendment o Oligosaccharides
o Polyuronic acid Organic
• Bio-activator Chelated
o Trace elements
• Bio-re-mediation agent Bio-available
o Micro-nutrients
• Numerous other • Protective
applications with o Ion exchange capacity - converts N to a
unlimited potential usable form + detoxifies soils
o Gel-like consistency – many benefits
• Promotes root growth over foliar growth
EKO GEA's full product line is certified ORGANIC under the European Community EEC 2381/94, EG 8342007, and
EG8992008 which governs organic production, labeling and control of animal and human feedstuffs. All of EKO
GEA’s products can be sold and used in the eco-systems of agriculture in all member states of the European
EEC certified ORGANIC
Community without special permission.

14. S UPERIOR C ULTURE M EDIA
Feeds Unique nutrients
&
Protects
Protective functions
Microbiology Flexibility – many applications
Extraction process is
EKO GEA’s core, proprietary technology

15. F UN FACTS ABOUT M ICROBES
99% of all bacteria are helpful to organisms and their environment
A single gram of soil can contain more than a billion microbes and an estimated million
different types of microbes
Less than .5% of the estimated 2-3 billion microbial species have been identified.
Microbes comprise ~60% of the earth’s biomass
The human gut is home to 1-2 kg of bacteria, there are 1,000 times as many bacteria in
your gut than there are stars in the Milky Way.
Bacteria help by destroying harmful organisms within macro-organisms and their
environment
There are more bacterial cells in your body than there are human cells
An area of your skin as small as 6.5 square cm (1 square inch) may be home to more
than half a million microbes, and 1,000 microbial species live on human skin
Microbes are very competitive.
How do we increase the performance of biology? EKO GEA
By enhancing the environment for Microbes. feeds & protects

16. M ULTIPLE B ENEFITS
FOR C ROPS & S OILS
Rich in oligosaccharides and polyuronic acids
Mimic & promote humic acid production ①
Multiple
Increased production of clay humus
functions
Robust microbial activity in soils
at once
Root growth promotion over foliar growth
Oligosaccharides deactivate DNA repressors
which block root growth ① (root growth is promoted)
Increased root hairs/root ball
Better nutrient/water uptake & retention
① How it Works in Crops & Soils

17. M ULTIPLE BENEFITS FOR
CROPS & SOILS

18. M ULTIPLE B ENEFITS
FOR C ROPS & S OILS
Gel-like consistency = Protection + Adhesion
Protects the plants from dehydration and insect
Multiple infestation
Improved pesticide adhesion
protective
Post-harvest spray = Increased shelf life of fruits
functions & vegetables
Lowers the surface tension of water
Better distribution of pesticides
Decreases the amount required
Improved soil /plant health + improved distribution & better adhesion of pesticides
Increased Effectiveness
= 50% less pesticides required

19. M ULTIPLE B ENEFITS
FOR C ROPS & S OILS
Biological Ion exchange capacity
EKO GEA is anion (negatively charged)
Feeds
& Provides cation (positively-charged) uptake
Protects Chelation of trace elements of value to
plants
Preventing precipitation of ions which
have no positive role
Ion Exchange
Detoxifies harmful organic & inorganic compounds
Nourishes crops & soils w/ trace elements

22. M ULTIPLE B ENEFITS
FOR C ROPS & S OILS

23. P OST -H ARVEST
Washing Additive – natural cleaner
Lowers the need for lime and anti-foams in root
washing processes (sugar beets, potatoes, carrots,
etc.)
Shelf-life extension of fruits & vegetables

24. B ENEFITS OF EKO GEA
ON COMPOSTING
Compost activation
Increased microbial activity
Faster, more complete composting in soils
Assists herbicide function
Kills weeds at root level and composts
them in soils
Nematode control
Solid waste management solution
Farmers – manure + crop waste
Food processors
Commercial waste managers

25. M ULTIPLE B ENEFITS
FOR L IVESTOCK FARMS
Dairy
Unique Nutrition + Optimal rumen health
Pre-biotic/pro-biotic
Alkalinity - pH 13 - tremendous buffering
capacity
Nutritional boost
Vitamins, minerals, trace elements
EKO GEA’s Performance is not based on elemental content
EEC certified ORGANIC

26. M ULTIPLE B ENEFITS
FOR L IVESTOCK FARMS
Nutrition & Sanitation
Poultry
Closed-loop
Layers
nutrition &
Broilers
manure Pigs
management Beef Cattle
Dairy Cattle
EKO GEA’s Performance is not based on elemental content
EEC certified ORGANIC

27. S ANITATION
FOR L IVESTOCK FARMS
Manure & Nutrient Management
Hold back & treat manure needed for
nutrient spreading on crops
Meet N&P soil requirements
Treat excess manure/nutrients in our
NewGen AD wastewater treatment plant
Meet N&P reduction/compliance
requirements
87% methane biogas option

28. Traditional Nutrient Management Options
Manure spreading – untreated o Meet the crop’s N need = excess P
The “manure paradox”: o Meet the crop’s P need = buy N fertilizer
• Crops use N:P:K in a 3:1:2 ratio o Autumn only – after a decomp period
• Dairy manure is a 1:1:2 ratio (available) o Compliance issues
Wastewater treatment
o No nutrients for crops
• Meet N & P effluent standards
Anaerobic Digestion – on-site, conventional o Excess nutrients/digestate
• Meet N & P effluent standards o Costly, troublesome
Anaerobic Digestion – community digester o Nutrients available but loss of control?
• Meet N & P effluent standards o Long-term costs – no nutrients?

29. Nutrient Management The EKO GEA Way
EKO GEA Solution
o Organic nutrients for crops
• 2 Treatment streams:
o Immediate spreading, anytime
o Hold back nutrients for crop use
o Grey water for re-use
o NewGen treat the balance
o Total, GREEN control
• Meet N & P effluent standards
87% methane biogas option
If used with EKO GEA crop spray,
No add’l fertilizer required

30. W HAT IS N EW G EN ?
Breakthrough AD technology
Low-cost, EFFICIENT, Small, Fast, GREEN

31. A WHOLE NEW WORLD
NewGen
WwT & Biogas
Production
Plants
Bio-dynamics at work

32. N EW G EN S TANDS O UT
Truly Disruptive Technology
Complete digestion of all organics
Option: No organic sludge /no biogas digestate
Harvesting the
87% Methane
Small
produced by Fast (24-hour retention time)
NewGEN
No heat, low power (only dosage pump and pre-mixing)
No Odour
Below-ground
No unsightly basins/lagoons/ digesters
Safe
GREEN

33. N EW G EN M EETS /E XCEEDS
EU E FFLUENT R EQUIREMENTS
Parameter COD BOD TSS Total P Total N
mg/l mg/l mg/l mg/l mg/l
EU Requirement 125 25 <35 <2 <15

34. 10 m³per day Example
NewGen AD plant
Bio-media Loading
Bio-media level
Additive
Biogas Collection
Feedstock In Effluent
Effluent =
nutrient-rich
grey water
Hydrolysis/ Bio-filtration
Sedimentation Tanks
Tanks

35. NewGen Technology
Algae Additive at the CORE – Feeds, Speeds, Protects Microbes
• Biological ion exchange – H₂S + NH₃ + other negatively charged ions
EEC certified ORGANIC
• Unique nutrients for microbes – Oligosaccharides + micro-nutrients
• Alginates – protection of microbes
Bio-media
• Shelter/housing for microbes
• Enhanced filtration
Plant design - Column filtration
• Force-feeds microbes
• Eliminates need for mixing
• Offers self-cleaning mechanisms
Anaerobic Digestion (AD)
• Attributes known

36. W HY IS N EW G EN
SO E FFICIENT ?
Number and health of ‘workers’ – Microbes do the work
Microbes in Microbes on
conventional NewGen
WwTP/digester media
(actual micrograph) (actual micrograph)
In conventional WwTP’s/digesters, In NewGen Plant, microbes:
microbes: Sheltered by porous bio-media
Suspended in water Force-fed nutrients (oligosaccharides)
Depend on coagulates for shelter Protected from toxins
Must ‘wait’ to bump into nutrients (alginates + ion exchange)
Vulnerable to toxins and predators Out-compete predators
Every m³ of bio-media = 1 km² of surface area for microbial “workers”

37. N EW G EN B IOGAS P LANTS
Size DOES Matter
Size Comparison:
approximately to scale
16 m³/day capacity
NewGen Conventional
24 hours retention time 30 - 80 days retention time (larger for 30+ days)

38. N EW G EN B IOGAS P LANTS :
A DDITIVE IS AT THE C ORE
Providing microbes with:
Unique sugars and nutrients (oligosaccharides)
Protection from toxins (alginates)
Biological ion exchange (immediate and permanent H₂S
₂
reduction)
Healthy microbes
More robust proliferation
Out-compete predators
Ion exchange = no H₂S or NH₃ odour and no
EEC certified ORGANIC
equipment corrosion

39. The FUTURE
The Past of WwT & Biogas
» EFFICIENT
» Small NewGen
» Fast
» Low-cost NewGen =
87% Methane
» Invisible

40. Installing the NewGen System
Filling the tanks w/ water
Fill water in 30cm layers
30cm layers

41. C OMPLETED I NSTALLATION
300-student
Elementary School
Šentrupert, Slovenia
10m³/day
Wastewater
Treatment Plant

42. XYZ Dairy Farm
NewGen WwTP design for 12 ton/day of Dairy Cattle liquid manure—
200 Dairy Cow capacity– Concrete Option
OUT
* 10 Gradient to support hydraulic process
2540mm

43. B IOREMEDIATION OF SOIL
Bio-remediation of soil - crop residue
decomposition
Pesticides and toxins destroy microbiology in
soils
Microbes
do the EKO GEA creates culture media for microbial
health
work
Feeds & Protects microbes
Ion exchange
Immediate bio-chemical reduction of many
harmful compounds
Unique nutrients (oligosaccharides &
polyuronic acids)

44. Eco-lutionary!
Biological
Complete Ion
Exchange
Closed-loop
Solution
EEC certified ORGANIC

45. THANK YOU