Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms
Abstract Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach for the controlled release of nutrients, particularly phosphorus and potassium. These essential plant nutrients are often applied in excess, leading to environmental pollution and loss of efficiency in crop production. Innovative economic a...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56274-0 |
| _version_ | 1797266809735348224 |
|---|---|
| author | Samira S. Elsabagh Elsayed A. Elkhatib Mohamed Rashad |
| author_facet | Samira S. Elsabagh Elsayed A. Elkhatib Mohamed Rashad |
| author_sort | Samira S. Elsabagh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach for the controlled release of nutrients, particularly phosphorus and potassium. These essential plant nutrients are often applied in excess, leading to environmental pollution and loss of efficiency in crop production. Innovative economic and highly efficient fertilizers are urgently needed to achieve the targeted crop production worldwide in the presence of limited land and water resources. Therefore, in this study, novel, eco-friendly, cost-effective and enhanced efficiency nano-enabled fertilizers, NEF (nWTF1and nWTF2) were synthesized by impregnation of nanostructured water treatment residuals (nWTR) with (KH2PO4 + MgO) at 1:1 and 3:1 (w/w) ratios respectively using a planetary ball mill. The nWTR, nWTF1 and nWTF2 were extensively characterized. The water retention behavior and the sustained release of nutrients from the fabricated nano-enabled fertilizers (nWTF1 and nWTF2) in distilled water and sandy soil were investigated and monitored over time. The water retention capacity of the soil treated with nWTF2 after 26 days was 9.3 times higher than that of soil treated with conventional fertilizer. In addition, the nWTF2 exhibited lower release rates of P, K and Mg nutrients for longer release periods in comparison with the conventional fertilizers. This is a significant advantage over traditional fertilizers, which release nutrients quickly and can lead to leaching and nutrient loss. The main interaction mechanisms of PO4–K–Mg ions with nWTR surface were suggested. The results of the kinetics study revealed that power function was the best suitable model to describe the kinetics of P, K and Mg release data from NEF in water and soil. The produced NEF were applied to Zea maize plants and compared to commercial chemical fertilizer control plants. The obtained results revealed that the nano-enabled fertilizers (nWTF1 and nWTF2) significantly promoted growth, and P content compared with the commercial chemical fertilizer treated plants. The present work demonstrated the power of nano enabled fertilizers as efficient and sustained release nano-fertilizers for sustainable agriculture and pollution free environment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T01:06:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f42a8c8115e44600a76a595ad6c7f730 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T01:06:36Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-f42a8c8115e44600a76a595ad6c7f7302024-03-10T12:12:34ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-0114111610.1038/s41598-024-56274-0Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanismsSamira S. Elsabagh0Elsayed A. Elkhatib1Mohamed Rashad2Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological ApplicationsDepartment of Soil and Water Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria UniversityArid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological ApplicationsAbstract Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach for the controlled release of nutrients, particularly phosphorus and potassium. These essential plant nutrients are often applied in excess, leading to environmental pollution and loss of efficiency in crop production. Innovative economic and highly efficient fertilizers are urgently needed to achieve the targeted crop production worldwide in the presence of limited land and water resources. Therefore, in this study, novel, eco-friendly, cost-effective and enhanced efficiency nano-enabled fertilizers, NEF (nWTF1and nWTF2) were synthesized by impregnation of nanostructured water treatment residuals (nWTR) with (KH2PO4 + MgO) at 1:1 and 3:1 (w/w) ratios respectively using a planetary ball mill. The nWTR, nWTF1 and nWTF2 were extensively characterized. The water retention behavior and the sustained release of nutrients from the fabricated nano-enabled fertilizers (nWTF1 and nWTF2) in distilled water and sandy soil were investigated and monitored over time. The water retention capacity of the soil treated with nWTF2 after 26 days was 9.3 times higher than that of soil treated with conventional fertilizer. In addition, the nWTF2 exhibited lower release rates of P, K and Mg nutrients for longer release periods in comparison with the conventional fertilizers. This is a significant advantage over traditional fertilizers, which release nutrients quickly and can lead to leaching and nutrient loss. The main interaction mechanisms of PO4–K–Mg ions with nWTR surface were suggested. The results of the kinetics study revealed that power function was the best suitable model to describe the kinetics of P, K and Mg release data from NEF in water and soil. The produced NEF were applied to Zea maize plants and compared to commercial chemical fertilizer control plants. The obtained results revealed that the nano-enabled fertilizers (nWTF1 and nWTF2) significantly promoted growth, and P content compared with the commercial chemical fertilizer treated plants. The present work demonstrated the power of nano enabled fertilizers as efficient and sustained release nano-fertilizers for sustainable agriculture and pollution free environment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56274-0Water treatment residualsWater retentionAdsorption mechanismsEfficient releaseSustainable agriculture |
| spellingShingle | Samira S. Elsabagh Elsayed A. Elkhatib Mohamed Rashad Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms Scientific Reports Water treatment residuals Water retention Adsorption mechanisms Efficient release Sustainable agriculture |
| title | Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms |
| title_full | Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms |
| title_fullStr | Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms |
| title_short | Novel nano-fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients: performance, kinetics and sorption mechanisms |
| title_sort | novel nano fertilizers derived from drinking water industry waste for sustained release of macronutrients performance kinetics and sorption mechanisms |
| topic | Water treatment residuals Water retention Adsorption mechanisms Efficient release Sustainable agriculture |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56274-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT samiraselsabagh novelnanofertilizersderivedfromdrinkingwaterindustrywasteforsustainedreleaseofmacronutrientsperformancekineticsandsorptionmechanisms AT elsayedaelkhatib novelnanofertilizersderivedfromdrinkingwaterindustrywasteforsustainedreleaseofmacronutrientsperformancekineticsandsorptionmechanisms AT mohamedrashad novelnanofertilizersderivedfromdrinkingwaterindustrywasteforsustainedreleaseofmacronutrientsperformancekineticsandsorptionmechanisms |