Sustainable chemistry from eelgrass will revolutionize agriculture

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Danish research project prepares to replace harmful pesticides and chemicals in agriculture with a sustainable substance produced through fermentation. Innovation Fund Denmark invests millions.

A new research and innovation project aims to start a green revolution in agriculture and industry. By 2028, the DROPLET project will develop a sustainable production of eelgrass acid, a natural substance found in eelgrass that can replace environmentally harmful pesticides and fossil chemicals.

- With DROPLET, we open the door to green chemical production that can replace large amounts of fossil and toxic products, from pesticides to plastics. This will not only benefit the environment, but also strengthen Denmark's position within sustainable technologies, says project leader Alex Toftgaard Nielsen, CSO at Cysbio and professor at DTU.

Agriculture faces major challenges in reducing harmful chemicals and finding effective alternatives. Eelgrass acid has shown great potential as a natural alternative to traditional pesticides and as a building block in sustainable materials, but so far production has been too expensive.

With a new microbiological method developed by the company Cysbio and researchers from DTU Biosustain and DTU Chemical Engineering, the DROPLET project will halve the costs of producing eelgrass acid and develop and test chemical variants of the substance. The goal is clear: to make the substance competitive on a large scale for agriculture and the plastics industry.

Innovation Fund Denmark is investing 7.8 million kroner in the project, which is being implemented by a strong consortium with Cysbio, DTU Biosustain and DTU Chemical Engineering, which together possess the expertise within biotechnology, fermentation and polymer technology to ensure success and commercialization.

Facts:

• Innovation Fund's investment: DKK 7.8 million.
• Total budget: 12.9 million DKK.
• Duration: 3 years (2025-2028)
• Official title: "Developing the production and use of bio-based Zosteric acid for agricultural applications and as a platform chemical (DROPLET)"

About the partners:

• Cysbio develops advanced microbiological production systems.
• DTU Biosustain is a leader in bio-based production methods.
• DTU Chemical Engineering works with the development of sustainable materials and chemical processes.