Technological prospecting: Patent mapping of bioremediation of soil contaminated with agrochemicals using fungi

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development of biotechnologies related to the bioremediation of soil contaminated by agrochemicals using fungi through technological prospecting with patent mapping and analysis of scientific products. Due to the high complexity of biotechnologies involving microorganisms, it is observed that the state of the art is still in development, with several technological advantages already elucidated and important challenges to be overcome. Patent mapping revealed that the number of granted or pending patents showed a positive trend. In this context, a high number of patent documents were observed that describe processes and methods aimed at the preparation and application of fungi in soil bioremediation, as well as biotechnologies that use consortia of different strains of fungi or fungi and bacteria and advanced approaches involving genetic engineering. In short, it was found that inventions related to the investigated biotechnology have been protected mainly in China, the USA, Japan, and the European Union, with emphasis on the technological impact of patents in India. Finally, the findings indicated that soil bioremediation with the use of fungi presents a potential for development due to a series of technological and environmental aspects.