Research from EBM Santa Inês in São Lourenço do Oeste Evaluates Pyroligneous Extract as a Possible Sustainable Bioinput for Agriculture and Was Selected in the Junior Category of the Scientific Fair.
A liquid formed from the smoke released during charcoal production has become the subject of research by students from a municipal school in Santa Catarina. The project was selected for the in-person phase of FIciências 2026 and investigates its potential application in agriculture.
The project is titled “Evaluation of Pyroligneous Extract as a Sustainable Bioinput in Agricultural Cultures” and is affiliated with the EBM Santa Inês school located in São Lourenço do Oeste, in the western part of Santa Catarina.
Santa Catarina Project Selected for FIciências
In the official list of projects selected for FIciências 2026, the work ranks 72nd in the Junior category, representing Santa Catarina and classified in the Agricultural Sciences area.
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This selection places the research among the projects called for in-person presentations. Participation, however, still depends on an administrative step.
According to the organization’s schedule, finalists must confirm their attendance between August 21 and September 10, 2026. The list of confirmed projects is expected to be announced on September 15.
The research was previously recognized as a finalist at the XI Brazilian Scientific Initiation Fair. In the official record of FEBIC 2026, the project is associated with EBM Santa Inês, while the official list of qualifiers identifies São Lourenço do Oeste in Santa Catarina as its origin.
So What Is Pyroligneous Extract?
The material studied by the students is directly linked to the production of charcoal. During the carbonization of wood, smoke, vapors, and gases are released. When part of this material is cooled and condensed, it forms what is known as pyroligneous extract.
The Embrapa Temperate Climate has a Technical Circular on the collection and production of this extract for agricultural use. The document explains that the method of obtaining it directly affects the composition and quality of the product.
Temperature is one of the critical factors. Embrapa recommends careful monitoring during burning, as temperatures above recommended levels may enhance the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, toxic compounds that make the product unsuitable for use.
After collection, technical guidance suggests a resting period of four to six months, necessary for the stabilization of the solution and the settling of solid particles.
Research Evaluates Potential, Not a Proven Solution
The use of the term “sustainable bioinput” in the project title describes exactly what is being investigated. Selection for scientific fairs does not imply that the students have already demonstrated that the extract can replace fertilizers or other agricultural inputs.
Additionally, there are no quantitative results from EBM Santa Inês’s experiment regarding productivity, savings, pest control, or reduction in the use of conventional products in the three documents used.
The confirmed fact is that the students are assessing the pyroligneous extract in agricultural crops and that this proposal has advanced through two scientific fairs in 2026, now reaching the official list of selected projects in the Junior category of FIciências.
