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Fabrication of Smart Hydrogel Based on Functionally Modified Colocasia esculenta as Potential Nutrient Carrier and Soil Conditioner

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Abstract

Circular economy has renewed its focus; a novel eco-friendly semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) device was prepared from functionally modified natural backbone (Colocasia esculenta) for controlled release of fertilizers. The method encompasses the usage of natural non-toxic materials with addition of fortifying nutrients. Naturally procured starch moieties converted into acetylated starch, coded as Acy CE. This was further cross-linked with polyacrylamide (PAAm) in the presence of N, N'-methylene bisacrylamide and ammonium persulfate as a crosslinker-initiater system. The chemical, physical, and thermal properties of the synthesized semi-IPN coded as Acy CE-cl-PAAm were also presented through various characterization techniques. The Acy CE-cl-PAAm was assessed for its fertilizer release mechanism in water media studied on three pH values. The release kinetics of all the fertilizers followed Korsmeyer-Peppas Model (Fickian diffusion), unveiling its excellent potential as controlled agrochemical release device. The macromolecular relaxation of the given network matrix was found to be comparable to the diffusion rate of urea indicated by Fickian (n = 0.4) diffusion mechanism. The initial diffusion coefficients of DI = 8.03*10−7, DI = 7.9*10−7, DI = 9.8*10−7, DI = 1.7 * 10−7 were found to be greater than the lateral diffusion co-efficients of DL = 1.4*10−7, DL = 1.3*10−7, DL = 3.9*10−7, DL = 3.9*10−7 in the case of urea, ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate, and bio-fertilizer, released at pH = 7.0, respectively. Also, it was found to get degraded up to 76% by weight with 1.1% rate of degradation per day within 70 days in vermi-compost method. The results indicated that this is an effective approach for controlled agrochemical release with great potential applications in sustained agriculture.

Highlights

• Biodegradable hydrogel was synthesized from acetylated derivative of Colocasia esculenta (CE) based backbone under the influence of microwave irradiations.

• The synthesized device showed highest swelling of 1375%.

• Hence, used for comparative analysis of urea, ammonium sulfate, potassium nitrate, and biofertilizer-controlled release in water media.

• The semi-IPN was found eco-friendly and biodegradable in nature.

Graphical Abstract

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Data Availability

The data will be made available on request.

Abbreviations

Acy:

Acetylated

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

APS:

Ammonium persulfate

CE :

Colocasia esculenta

DA :

Average diffusion co-efficient

DI :

Initial diffusion co-efficient

DL :

Lateral diffusion co-efficient

Ds :

Degradation swelling percentage

df:

Degree of freedom

DTG:

Differential thermogravimetric

EDX:

Energy dispersive X-ray analysis

FDT:

Final decomposition temperature

FE-SEM:

Field emission scanning electron microscope

FTIR:

Fourier transform infrared

F-value:

Fisher–Snedecor distribution

IDT:

Initial decomposition temperature

MBA:

N, N’- methylene bis-acrylamide

MPD:

Multipurpose diffraction

NMR:

Nuclear magnetic resonance

OFAT:

One factor at a time

PAAm:

Polyacrylamide

P-value:

Probability value

RSM:

Response surface methodology

TGA:

Thermogravimetric analysis

UV-Vis:

Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

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Acknowledgements

Author is extremely thankful to MHRD, for giving financial assistantship to carry out this research work. Author is also thankful to Saif IIT Bombay, MNIT Jaipur and NIT Jalandhar for characterization of the samples. The author is also thankful to DAV University Jalandhar, for UV –Vis spectrophotometer analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Smart Materials Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Dr BR Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, 144011, Punjab, India

    Anjali Singh & Balbir Singh Kaith

  2. Department of Chemistry, Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology, Longowal, Sangrur, 148106, Punjab, India

    Dhiraj Sud

  3. Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 143005, Punjab, India

    Manpreet Singh Bhatti

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  1. Anjali Singh
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Singh, A., Kaith, B.S., Sud, D. et al. Fabrication of Smart Hydrogel Based on Functionally Modified Colocasia esculenta as Potential Nutrient Carrier and Soil Conditioner. Water Air Soil Pollut 234, 402 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11270-023-06399-1

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