Scientists of the National Research University "BelSU" have found a way to extract beneficial substances from citrogypsum with the help of plants

Scientists of the REC "Botanical Garden" and the «BelSU» youth laboratory of physical and chemical research methods of plants are working on the problem of citrogypsum recycling – non-utilized by-product of citric acid. The research is carried out within the framework of the world-class REC project "Innovative solutions in agriculture" "Creation of a full-cycle system of scientific methodology for the introduction of valuable agricultural and ornamental crops based on selection and genetic research".

Nowadays there are several ways to produce citric acid, the most common is synthesis by chemical reactions. In the process, a large amount of citrogypsum is formed. The substance is not used in production and is stored in large quantities at landfills. This poses a major challenge of recycling production waste and reducing the man-caused load.

The citrogypsum itself contains chemical elements in an insoluble form and therefore their further participation in the natural cycle of substances is impossible, said Mikhail Tretyakov, head of the Laboratory of Genetics and Plant Breeding of the REC "Botanical Garden" of the National Research University "BelSU". University scientists expect to return some of the elements to the natural chain by including plants in it.

The experiment will last several years, since the accumulative characteristics must be observed in dynamics.