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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Polymeric Hydrogelsin Agriculture: EnvironmentalPerformance, Sustainability Challenges, and Future Perspectives
ClearPolymeric 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.
Significance of biopolymer-based hydrogels and their applications in agriculture: a review in perspective of synthesis and their degree of swelling for water holding
Researchers reviewed the development and agricultural applications of hydrogels made from natural biopolymers, which are biodegradable alternatives to synthetic plastics. These hydrogels can retain large amounts of water and deliver nutrients or active compounds to soil in a controlled way. The study suggests that biopolymer hydrogels could help improve crop yields while reducing the environmental burden of synthetic plastic materials in agriculture.
Superabsorbent Hydrogels in the Agriculture and Reclamation of Degraded Areas
This review examines superabsorbent hydrogels, polymer materials that can absorb hundreds of times their weight in water, and their use in agriculture and land restoration. Researchers found that while these materials can significantly improve soil water retention and crop yields, concerns remain about chemical leaching and potential microplastic generation as they degrade. The study suggests that more research is needed on the long-term environmental safety of synthetic hydrogels in soil.
Development of biodegradable hydrogels with adjustable moisture retention capacity for agricultural applications
Researchers developed and field-tested cellulose-based biodegradable hydrogels with zeolite and bentonite additives for improving soil water retention in arid agricultural regions of Kazakhstan, confirming positive effects on moisture retention, plant growth, and biomass accumulation across irrigated, rainfed, and arid test sites.
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.
Development and characterization of a carboxymethyl cellulose-alginate hybrid superabsorbent hydrogel designed for water management in agriculture
Researchers formulated a carboxymethyl cellulose and sodium alginate hydrogel for agricultural water retention, optimizing it to absorb over 1,600 times its weight in water while remaining thermally stable and reusable — offering a bio-based alternative to synthetic superabsorbent polymers that contribute to microplastic pollution in farmland soils.
Hydrogels: A Comprehensive Review of Structure, Properties, and Multifaceted Applications
This review provides a systematic overview of hydrogel classification, cross-linking mechanisms, and properties, examining their applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering, soft robotics, and sustainable agriculture, and discussing stimuli-responsive behavior and emerging directions in the field.
Progress, challenge and perspective of hydrogels application in food: a review
Researchers reviewed how hydrogels — water-absorbing polymer networks — can be engineered to detect and remove food contaminants including microplastics, heavy metals, and pesticides, as well as to extend food shelf life. While hydrogels show broad promise for food safety applications, the review notes challenges around scalability and the need for further real-world testing.
Multifunctional xanthan gum/wood fibers based hydrogels as novel topsoil covers for forestry and agricultural applications
Researchers developed biodegradable hydrogel ground covers made from xanthan gum (a natural thickener) and wood fibers, crosslinked with natural acids, that can absorb and retain water in dry soils while degrading naturally within months. These bio-based materials offer a sustainable, plastic-free alternative to conventional polypropylene mulching films used in agriculture and reforestation.
Advanced applications of sustainable and biological nano-polymers in agricultural production
This review examines how sustainable and biological nano-polymers can improve agricultural practices through controlled agrochemical release, soil enhancement, and gene editing, while addressing environmental concerns about nanomaterial accumulation.
Enhanced Soil Moisture Management Using Waste Green Algae-Derived Polymers: Optimization of Application Rate and Mixing Depth
Researchers synthesized water retention polymers from waste green algae and tested their effectiveness in managing soil moisture at application rates of 0-0.60% and mixing depths of 10-50 cm. The synthesized polymers achieved a swelling rate of 143.6 g/g with good reusability and thermal stability, and a 0.45% application rate combined with a 30 cm mixing depth was identified as optimal for maximizing water infiltration and minimizing evaporation in arid agricultural soils.
Water‐soluble polymers in agriculture: xanthan gum as eco‐friendly alternative to synthetics
This review compared synthetic and biopolymer water-soluble polymers used in agriculture, highlighting xanthan gum as a promising eco-friendly alternative to synthetic thickeners and stabilizers, with advantages in biodegradability and soil compatibility.
Advances in Controlled Release Fertilizers: Cost‐Effective Coating Techniques and Smart Stimuli‐Responsive Hydrogels
This review examines advances in controlled release fertilizer technology, focusing on cost-effective coating techniques and smart hydrogels that release nutrients in response to environmental conditions. Researchers found that while these technologies improve nutrient efficiency and reduce environmental pollution from fertilizer runoff, the coatings themselves can introduce microplastic contamination into soils. The study calls for development of fully biodegradable coating materials that deliver the benefits of controlled release without adding to plastic pollution in agricultural lands.
Enhancing Soil Resilience: Bacterial Alginate Hydrogel vs. Algal Alginate in Mitigating Agricultural Challenges
This paper is not about microplastics; it compares bacterial and algal alginate hydrogels as natural soil conditioners to improve the structural and hydraulic properties of degraded 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.
From Fruit Waste to Hydrogels for Agricultural Applications
Not relevant to microplastics — this study develops biodegradable hydrogels from fruit waste (pectin and starch) to reduce water loss and slow herbicide migration in sandy agricultural soils, without any connection to plastic pollution.
Organosilanized Hydrophobic Sand for Drought Resilience: Reducing Water Percolation and Enhancing Crop Growth Conditions
Researchers developed organosilanized hydrophobic sand as a soil amendment for drought resilience, finding that the hydrophobic coating reduced water percolation losses, improved plant-available water retention, and enhanced crop performance under water-limited conditions without plastic contamination.
Impact of Microplastics on Soil Health: Soil-Water Retention, Shrinkage and Holding Properties
A review of research on microplastics in soil found that plastic particles can alter water retention, shrinkage, and structural properties in ways that could reduce agricultural productivity. Because microplastics are as prevalent in soils as in oceans, their terrestrial impacts warrant much greater research attention.
A New Approach for Agricultural Water Management Using Pillows Made from COVID-19 Waste Face Masks and Filled with a Hydrogel Polymer: Preliminary Studies
Researchers developed an approach to recycle COVID-19 waste face masks as small pillows filled with superabsorbent polymer hydrogel placed near plant roots, demonstrating that the enclosed hydrogel maintained consistent soil moisture over extended periods and supported plant growth while preventing the toxic organic contamination associated with direct SAP soil mixing.
Carboxylated Nanocellulose Superabsorbent: Biodegradation and Soil Water Retention Properties
Researchers tested biodegradable, cellulose-derived superabsorbent polymers for improving soil water retention in agriculture. Unlike conventional petroleum-based superabsorbents, these cellulose-based materials degrade in soil rather than persisting as microplastic particles.