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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Advances in Controlled Release Fertilizers: Cost‐Effective Coating Techniques and Smart Stimuli‐Responsive Hydrogels
ClearAdvancements and challenges in controlled-release fertilisers: An approach to integrate biopolymer-based strategies
This review examines controlled-release fertilizers, which are designed to deliver nutrients to plants gradually, and finds that many use synthetic polymer coatings that can leave microplastic residues in soil. The authors highlight biopolymers made from natural materials like chitosan, cellulose, and starch as promising alternatives that can biodegrade without contributing to plastic pollution. The shift toward biodegradable fertilizer coatings could help reduce a significant but often overlooked source of agricultural microplastic contamination.
Engineering biodegradable coatings for sustainable fertilisers
This review explored engineering biodegradable coatings for controlled-release fertilizers as sustainable alternatives to conventional plastic-coated products, addressing concerns about microplastic contamination from agricultural plastic films while maintaining effective nutrient delivery to crops.
Plant stimuli-responsive biodegradable polymers for the use in timed release fertilizer coatings
This study developed plant-stimulated biodegradable polymer coatings for controlled-release fertilizers that break down when triggered by root secretions, releasing nutrients when plants need them. The innovation addresses the problem of conventional fertilizer coatings made from non-degradable polymers that contribute to microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Fully bio-based polyurethane coating for environmentally friendly controlled release fertilizer: Construction, degradation mechanism and effect on plant growth
Researchers developed a fully bio-based polyurethane coating for controlled-release fertilizers using castor oil and a plant-derived chemical. Unlike conventional polyurethane coatings that persist in soil as microplastics, this coating showed strong biodegradability while still effectively controlling nutrient release. The study offers a practical solution to reduce microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils from fertilizer coatings.
Generation Characteristics of Micro Plastics from Different Types of Coated Controlled-Release Fertilizer Films
Researchers conducted soil incubation experiments simulating five years of continuous application of three polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers to characterize microplastic generation from their degrading coating films. The study found that the polymer coating type significantly affected both fertilizer release characteristics and microplastic production, with changes in soil nitrogen fractions and electrical conductivity influencing the rate of membrane shell degradation and subsequent plastic particle release.
Mechanisms of microplastic generation from polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs)
This study investigated how the plastic coatings on slow-release fertilizers break down and release microplastics into soil. Significantly more microplastic particles were released in soil conditions than in water alone, and wet-dry cycles accelerated the breakdown, meaning agricultural soils receiving these fertilizers may be accumulating substantial amounts of microplastic pollution.
Development of Fertilizer Coatings from Polyglyoxylate–Polyester Blends Responsive to Root-Driven pH Change
Researchers developed biodegradable fertilizer coatings made from a self-degrading polymer blended with polycaprolactone or polylactic acid, designed to release nutrients in the acidic zone around plant roots. Replacing conventional non-biodegradable polymer coatings on fertilizers could significantly reduce microplastic accumulation in agricultural soils.
Smart Hydrogels for Sustainable Agriculture
This article reviews how "smart hydrogels" -- materials that can absorb and slowly release water and nutrients -- could transform agriculture by reducing water waste and excessive chemical use. While not directly about microplastics, these gel-based systems could help reduce the environmental contamination that comes from conventional farming practices. The authors highlight that more research is needed to make these materials practical and affordable for widespread farm use.
Analysis of Slow-Released Fertilisers as a Source of Microplastics
Analysis of slow-release fertilisers coated with polymer shells found that these products can release microplastics into agricultural soils as the coatings degrade. Two major manufacturers' products showed varying polymer compositions and differing abilities to adsorb soil contaminants, raising concerns about MP accumulation from fertiliser use.
Biodegradation of microplastics derived from controlled release fertilizer coating: Selective microbial colonization and metabolism in plastisphere
Scientists studied how microplastics from fertilizer coatings break down in soil over more than two years, finding that polyethylene degraded the most (nearly 17% weight loss) while producing secondary microplastic fragments and chemical byproducts. Specific bacteria and fungi colonized the plastic surfaces, forming biofilms that helped break down the material. This research shows that coated fertilizers are a direct source of microplastic pollution in farmland, where the breakdown products could enter crops and groundwater.
Precise application of water and fertilizer to crops: challenges and opportunities
This review covers precision agriculture technologies that optimize water and fertilizer use through sensors, remote sensing, and machine learning. While focused on crop management, the research is relevant to microplastic pollution because controlled-release fertilizers with plastic coatings are a significant source of soil microplastics, and precision application could reduce the volume of these coatings entering farmland.
Polymeric Hydrogels in Agriculture: Environmental Performance, Sustainability Challenges, and Future Perspectives
A review assessed the environmental performance and degradation behavior of polymeric hydrogels used in agriculture as soil moisture-retaining agents. The study raises concerns about whether these materials break down safely or contribute to microplastic accumulation in farmland soils.
The challenge of nanotechnology in the field of agricultural applications: Nanofertilizers as an emerging technology
This systematic review covers the development and applications of nanofertilizers — nano-scale nutrient delivery systems for agriculture — as an emerging and more efficient alternative to conventional fertilizers. Precision agriculture using nanotechnology could reduce the reliance on plastic-coated slow-release fertilizers that contribute microplastics to soil.
Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers
Researchers evaluated 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers under greenhouse conditions, finding that polymer-coated and inhibitor-based products showed significant performance tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching. Six fertilizers performed well overall, and the study found that even fertilizers within the same class performed differently depending on the substrate used. The research highlights that polymer coatings on fertilizers, including biodegradable plastics, are a potential environmental source of microplastics.
Bio-based polyurethane as a sustainable coating material for controlled-release fertilizer
Researchers developed a bio-based polyurethane coating from palm kernel oil to create controlled-release fertilizer as an alternative to petroleum-based coatings. They found that adjusting the coating thickness and composition could effectively regulate how quickly nutrients are released to plants. The study offers a more sustainable approach to agricultural fertilizer delivery that reduces both environmental pollution and dependence on fossil fuel-derived materials.
Cross-linked Cellulose Ester/Linseed Oil Composites for Controlled Release Fertilizers
Researchers developed cross-linked cellulose ester and linseed oil composites for use as controlled-release fertilizers, offering a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastic-coated fertilizers that shed microplastics into agricultural soils.
Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers
Researchers stress-tested 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers under controlled greenhouse conditions to compare their performance in reducing ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching. They found strong performance tradeoffs among products, with six fertilizers performing well across both measures, including polymer-coated formulations. The study notes that polymer coatings used in fertilizer technology, including biodegradable options like PLA, represent a potential source of microplastic contamination in agricultural soils.
Biopolymer-based nanocarriers for sustained release of agrochemicals: A review on materials and social science perspectives for a sustainable future of agri- and horticulture
This review examines how biopolymer-based nanocarriers can deliver fertilizers and pesticides more efficiently in agriculture, reducing the need for excessive chemical applications. Unlike conventional plastic-based delivery systems, these biodegradable carriers do not generate persistent microplastic pollution in farmland. The study also considers the social and economic factors that influence whether these environmentally friendly alternatives can successfully compete with conventional approaches.
Environmental sustainability of future fertilizers: tradeoffs between ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching for 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers
Researchers stress-tested 11 enhanced efficiency fertilizers under greenhouse conditions and found significant performance tradeoffs between reducing ammonia volatilization and nitrate leaching. Six fertilizers performed well across both measures, including two inhibitor-based products and four polymer-coated formulations. The study notes that polymer coatings on fertilizers, including those made from biodegradable plastics like PLA, can themselves become sources of microplastics in agricultural soils.
Unveiling the potency of polymers and their environmental implications: an agricultural perspective
Researchers reviewed the expanding use of synthetic polymers in agriculture — including water-retaining superabsorbent polymers and slow-release coatings — and found that while they boost crop yields and conserve water, they also contribute to soil microplastic pollution over time. The review calls for more research into biodegradable alternatives to reduce the long-term environmental burden of plastic-based farming inputs.
The long-term effects of microplastics on soil organomineral complexes and bacterial communities from controlled-release fertilizer residual coating
After a 10-year field experiment with controlled-release fertilizer application in China, residual plastic coating microplastics were found in soil at levels that altered soil organomineral complexes and bacterial community structure, raising sustainability concerns about this widely used agricultural technology.
Nanotechnology-based controlled release of sustainable fertilizers. A review
This review examines nanotechnology-based controlled-release fertilizers using zinc oxide nanoparticle encapsulation, highlighting how nanofertilizers can improve nutrient use efficiency beyond the 40-60% typical of conventional fertilizers while reducing environmental pollution.
The future of fertilizers: Controlled-release, organic, and microbial alternatives
This review examined innovations in controlled-release, organic, and microbial fertilizers as sustainable alternatives to conventional fertilizers, finding that these approaches can improve nutrient use efficiency and reduce negative environmental outcomes like leaching and greenhouse gas emissions.
Polymeric Hydrogelsin Agriculture: EnvironmentalPerformance, Sustainability Challenges, and Future Perspectives
This review examines polymeric hydrogels as soil amendments for climate-smart agriculture, finding that these cross-linked water-swelling networks can improve soil moisture retention, reduce irrigation frequency, and enhance fertilizer utilization, while also addressing environmental persistence and degradation challenges.