Encapsulation, controlled fertilizer release

A recent use of oxo-biodegradable PE is to control the release of nitrogenous fertilizers by encapsulation. The objective is to reduce the eutrophication of rivers and lakes. The hydrocarbon oxidation products... 

Cyclopentadiene oligomers have been formed by vapor deposition of CPD on kaolin to afford a sorbant for removal of oil from water (71). They are also employed as coatings for controlling release rates of fertilizers (72). Thermal addition of sulfur to a mixture of DCPD and CPD oligomers has led to a number of beneficial appHcations such as waste water oil adsorbant powdery foams (73), plasticized backing for carpets and artificial turfs (74), and in modified sulfur cements for encapsulating low-level radioactive wastes (75). 

Jarosiewicz, A., and Tomaszewska, M. (2003). Controlled-release NPK fertilizer encapsulated by polymeric membranes,... 

The indiscriminate use of such agricultural chemicals as pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers is an important source of environmental pollution. A novel application of polymer-bound materials has been made in the controlled release of agricultural chemicals (Allan et al., 1973 Beasley and Collins, 1970 Shambu et al., 1976 Schacht et al., 1977, 1978 reviews of Neogi and Allan, 1974 Scher, 1977). When these chemicals are covalently bound to a polymer from which they can be slowly released into the environment, they not only check pollution but their duration of action is prolonged. The same effect can be obtained by encapsulation of the chemicals in polymeric beads from which they can be released slowly, e.g., 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid have been used in polymer-bound form. 

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