Abstract
Conventional nitrogen (N) fertilizers used in crop production typically have use efficiencies of only 30 to 40%. While reduced efficiency can be a result of multiple factors (rate, placement, source), mismatched timing between N availability and N crop demand is a significant cause of reduced efficiency. This study aims to develop a biochar-based controlled release nitrogenous fertilizer (BCRNF) from relatively low-cost renewable materials to improve N availability when needed by the corn crop thus reducing N losses and improving nitrogen use efficiency. Ammonium sulfate was impregnated in biochar and then pelletized into particles. Three concentrations (3%, 6%, and 10%) of polylactic acid (PLA) solutions were used to coat the particles to produce BCRNF. The effects of different PLA concentrations on N release and physical properties of BCNRFs were investigated in both water and soil conditions. Water absorption and retention, thermal stability, and microstructures of BCRNFs were also analyzed to determine the N release mechanism of BCRNFs. The BCRNF coated by 10% and 6% of PLA both released 70% of N over 12 days in water and 25 days in soil. The biochar held 14% N that was not released into the water. However, coating with PLA, increased N holding to 16% inside BCRNF particles. The thermal properties of BCRNFs were stable under 230 °C. The PLA concentration of the coating layer significantly affected not only the N releasing time and rate but also the morphology and thermal properties of BCRNFs. Higher PLA concentrations resulted in a longer releasing time at lower N release rates. This study demonstrates that a biochar-based controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer (BCRNF) can enhance N release time and rate in both water and soil environments through the integration of biochar absorption and a PLA coating. Further development could yield a BCRNF that can optimally synchronize timing and amount of available N with crop N demand to increase N use efficiency.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data Availability
The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon request.
Abbreviations
- BCRNF:
-
Biochar-based controlled release nitrogenous fertilizer
- BNF:
-
Biochar-based nitrogenous fertilizer
- CRF:
-
Controlled release fertilizer
- N:
-
Nitrogen
- NUE:
-
Nitrogen use efficiency
- PLA:
-
Polylactic acid
- TGA:
-
Thermogravimetric analyzer
References
Ascough PL, Bird MI, Francis SM, Thornton B, Midwood AJ, Scott AC, Apperley D (2011) Variability in oxidative degradation of charcoal: influence of production conditions and environmental exposure. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 75:2361–2378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2011.02.002
Atkinson CJ, Fitzgerald JD, Hipps NA (2010) Potential mechanisms for achieving agricultural benefits from biochar application to temperate soils: a review. Plant Soil 337:1–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-010-0464-5
Azeem B, KuShaari K, Man ZB, Basit A, Thanh TH (2014) Review on materials & methods to produce controlled release coated urea fertilizer. J Control Release 181:11–21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.02.020
Beven KJ (2011) Rainfall-runoff modelling: the primer. John Wiley & Sons
Calcagnile P, Sibillano T, Giannini C, Sannino A, Demitri C (2019) Biodegradable poly (lactic acid)/cellulose-based superabsorbent hydrogel composite material as water and fertilizer reservoir in agricultural applications. J Appl Polym Sci 136:47546. https://doi.org/10.1002/app.47546
Carpenter SR, Caraco NF, Correll DL, Howarth RW, Sharpley AN, Smith VH (1998) Nonpoint pollution of surface waters with phosphorus and nitrogen. Ecol Appl 8:559–568. https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(1998)008[0559:NPOSWW]2.0.CO;2
Chen S, Yang M, Ba C, Yu S, Jiang Y, Zou H, Zhang Y (2018) Preparation and characterization of slow-release fertilizer encapsulated by biochar-based waterborne copolymers. Sci Total Environ 615:431–437. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.09.209
Cheng CH, Lehmann J, Engelhard MH (2008) Natural oxidation of black carbon in soils: changes in molecular for-m and surface charge along a climosequence. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 72:1598–1610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2008.01.010
Clough TJ, Condron LM, Kammann C, Müller C (2013) A review of biochar and soil nitrogen dynamics. Agronom-y 3:275–293. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy3020275
Ding Y, Liu Y, Liu S, Li Z, Tan X, Huang X, Zeng G, Zhou L, Zheng B (2016) Biochar to improve soil fertility. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 36:1–18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-016-0372-z
Downie A, Crosky A, Munroe P (2009) Physical properties of biochar
Dubey A, Mailapalli DR (2019) Zeolite coated urea fertilizer using different binders: fabrication, material properties and nitrogen release studies. Environmental Technology & Innovation 16:100452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2019.100452
Erisman JW, Leach A, Bleeker A, Atwell B, Cattaneo L, Galloway J (2018) An integrated approach to a nitrogen us-e efficiency (NUE) indicator for the food production–consumption chain. Sustainability 10:925. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10040925
Fryda L, Visser R (2015) Biochar for soil improvement: evaluation of biochar from gasification and slow pyrolysis. Agriculture 5:1076–1115. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture5041076
Goodrich DC, Faurès JM, Woolhiser DA, Lane LJ, Sorooshian S (1995) Measurement and analysis of small-scale convective storm rainfall variability. J Hydrol 173:283–308. https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1694(95)02703-R
Gwenzi W, Nyambishi T, Chaukura N, Mapope N (2018) Synthesis and nutrient release patterns of a biochar-based N–P–K slow-release fertilizer. Int J Environ Sci Technol 15:405–414. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-017-1399-7
Jia C, Zhang M, Lu P (2020) Preparation and characterization of polyurethane-/MMT nanocomposite-coated urea as controlled-release fertilizers. Polymer-Plastics Technology and Materials 59:975–984. https://doi.org/10.1080/25740881.2020.1719136
Kampeerapappun P, Phanomkate N (2013) Slow release fertilizer from core-shell electrospun fibers. Chiang Mai J Sci 40:775–782
Kizito S, Luo H, Lu J, Bah H, Dong R, Wu S (2019) Role of nutrient-enriched biochar as a soil amendment during maize growth: exploring practical alternatives to recycle agricultural residuals and to reduce chemical fertilizer demand. Sustainability 11:3211. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11113211
Lee J, Kim KH, Kwon EE (2017) Biochar as a catalyst. Renew Sust Energ Rev 77:70–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2017.04.002
Li Y, Jia C, Zhang X, Jiang Y, Zhang M, Lu P, Chen H (2018) Synthesis and performance of bio-based epoxy coate-d urea as controlled release fertilizer. Progress in Organic Coatings 119:50–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2018.02.013
Liu L, Tan Z, Gong H, Huang Q (2018) Migration and transformation mechanisms of nutrient elements (N, P, K) w-ithin biochar in straw–biochar–soil–plant systems: a review. ACS Sustain Chem Eng 7:22–32. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b04253
Milne E et al (2015) Soil carbon, multiple benefits environmental. Development 13:33–38
Papangkorn J, Isaraphan C, Phinhongthong S, Opaprakasit M, Opaprakasit P (2008) Controlled-release material for urea fertilizer from polylactic acid. Adv Mater Res 55-57:897–900. https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.55-57.897
Pereira EI, Nogueira AAR, Cruz CC, Guimarães GG, Foschini MM, ACC B, Ribeiro C (2017) Controlled urea release employing nanocomposites increases the efficiency of nitrogen use by forage. ACS Sustain Chem Eng 5:9993–10001. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.7b01919
Qu W, Wei L, Ma Z, Julson J (2012) Fast pyrolysis of corn stover and sawdust in a novel reactor. In 2012 Dallas, T-exas, July 29-August 1, 2012 (p. 1). American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.41833
Raun WR, Johnson GV (1999) Improving nitrogen use efficiency for cereal production. Agron J 91:357–363. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1999.00021962009100030001x
Sempeho SI, Kim HT, Mubofu E, Hilonga A (2014) Meticulous overview on the controlled release fertilizers. Ad-vances in Chemistry 2014:1–16. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/363071
Sharma LK, Bali SK (2018) A review of methods to improve nitrogen use efficiency in agriculture. Sustainability 10:51. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10010051
Spokas KA, Novak JM, Venterea RT (2012) Biochar’s role as an alternative N-fertilizer: ammonia capture. Plant Soil 350:35–42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-011-0930-8
Sun C, Chen L, Zhai L, Liu H, Wang K, Jiao C, Shen Z (2020) National assessment of nitrogen fertilizers fate and r-elated environmental impacts of multiple pathways in China. J Clean Prod 227:123519. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.123519
Tang J, Hong J, Liu Y, Wang B, Hua Q, Liu L, Ying D (2018) Urea controlled-release fertilizer based on gelatin mi-crospheres. J Polym Environ 26:1930–1939. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-017-1074-6
USDA Economic Research Service (2019) Using data from Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Association of A- merican Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO), and The Fertilizer Institute (TFI). https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/fertilizer-use-and-price.aspx
Wang SL, Heisey P, Schimmelpfennig D, Ball VE (2015) Agricultural productivity growth in the United States: measurement, trends, and drivers. Economic Research Service Paper No.Err-189. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2692612
Weber K, Quicker P (2018) Properties of biochar. Fuel 217:240–261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2017.12.054
Wei H, Wang H, Chu H, Li J (2019) Preparation and characterization of slow-release and water-retention fertilizer based on starch and halloysite. Int J Biol Macromol 133:1210–1218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.04.183
Yang X, Kang K, Qiu L, Zhao L, Sun R (2020) Effects of carbonization conditions on the yield and fixed carbon co-ntent of biochar from pruned apple tree branches. Renew Energy 146:1691–1699. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.148
Yao Y, Zhang M, Tian Y, Zhao M, Zeng K, Zhang B, Zhao M, Yin B (2018) Azolla biofertilizer for improving low nitrogen use efficiency in an intensive rice cropping system. Field Crop Res 216:158–164
Ye HM, Li HF, Wang CS, Yang J, Huang G, Meng X, Zhou Q (2020) Degradable polyester/urea inclusion complex applied as a facile and environment-friendly strategy for slow-release fertilizer: performance and mechanism. Chem Eng J 381:122704. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2019.122704
Zhang C, Liu L, Zhao M, Rong H, Xu Y (2018) The environmental characteristics and applications of biochar. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25:21525–21534. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2521-1
Funding
This research was supported by the South Dakota Governor’s Office of Economic Development (grant #:POC2020-04), North Central Regional Sun Grant Center (Grant #: 3FG386), and the USDA NIFA program through the Hatch Project (No. 3AR676 and 3AH658) of the South Dakota Agricultural Experimental Station.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing Interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Disclaimer
Only the authors are responsible for the opinions expressed in this paper.
Additional information
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Cen, Z., Wei, L., Muthukumarappan, K. et al. Assessment of a Biochar-Based Controlled Release Nitrogen Fertilizer Coated with Polylactic Acid. J Soil Sci Plant Nutr 21, 2007–2019 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00497-x
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-021-00497-x