US scientists have developed an environmentally friendly fertilizer

A team of researchers led by Professor Jonas Baltrusaitis began to create new nitrogen-containing fertilizers that are effective for crops, but less dangerous for the environment and ecology. This was reported by press service Lehigh University.

According to the expert, farmers will continue to add more fertilizer to the soil for growing crops. With an increase in yield, fertilizers harm the environment. Their production in itself is extremely energy-intensive, the main source of greenhouse gases. If nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are fully absorbed by plants, they begin to leach into groundwater. Excess nutrients can lead to eutrophication of water bodies, where algal blooms deprive the ecosystem of oxygen, killing flora and fauna, producing toxins, which can later harm people.

Baltrusaitis team has developed a dry method for the mechanochemical synthesis of a family of urea ionic crystals, which can serve as functional fertilizers with a significant slowdown of urea hydrolysis in the soil and a significant reduction in ammonia emissions. The technique combines water-soluble urea with various nutrients containing minerals with low solubility. The specialist suggests, among other things, the use of industrial waste to increase nitrogen control.

“We redesigned fertilizers to provide them with certain stability in the environment. When the decomposition process is slowed down, they will be longer accessible to plants. Therefore, these nutrients go into the so-called food chain, are not wasted and do not harm the environment”.

The potential impact is global and technology is being developed so that it can be easily integrated into existing supply chains. The scientist’s ultimate goal is to develop new nitrogen-efficient fertilizers that can be used in field trials.

Source: agronews.ua