Prospecção tecnológica da biorremediação de solo com fungos : estudo fundamentado em artigos científicos e mapeamento patentário

Abstract

Biotechnology that uses fungi in the bioremediation of soils contaminated by chemical compounds from agrochemicals is an efficient, relatively low-cost and eco-friendly solution. In view of this, the objective of this work was to perform a technological prospecting based on patent mapping and analysis of scientific production in order to analyze the development of soil bioremediation through fungi. A quantitative and qualitative methodology was used, based on bibliographic research in the Scopus and Web of Science article bases and search for patent documents in the Orbit Intelligence software, in addition to categorization and grouping techniques using the NVivo® software for the purpose of analyzing the characteristics of the technology studied, including the examination and investigation of the recovered patented inventions. The results showed that scientific research and the patenting of inventions in this area has been growing consistently in recent decades. A considerable diversity of genera and species of fungi that carry out the biodegradation or metabolization of the most varied chemical compounds from agrochemicals was identified (average rate of 77% of contaminant elimination), with emphasis on Aspergillus and Trichoderma, which were widely cited in articles and patent documents. The results of the patent mapping revealed a concentration of biotechnologies directed to processes and methods related to the application and manipulation of fungi for the bioremediation of contaminated soils, as well as biotechnologies that use consortia of different strains of fungi or different microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria, in addition to fungi and plants, with emphasis on advanced approaches involving genetic engineering and enzymatic processes. Another result achieved was the finding that there is a concentration of protected patents in the US, the European Union and China, with emphasis on the volume of patent filings in the latter. It was found that, in general, patents protected in the USA and in European Union countries have a high technological impact. Brazil has little expressiveness in terms of filing patents in this area of biotechnology, despite the existing potential in the country. In short, it was concluded that the biotechnology studied has good potential for development due to a series of factors and characteristics, considering the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats unveiled in this study.