Eco-friendly and biodegradable dimethylacrylamide/starch hydrogels for controlled release of urea and its water retention

Year 2022, Volume: 10 Issue: 2, 116 - 128, 31.12.2022

Tuba Erşen Dudu , Duygu Alpaslan

https://doi.org/10.51354/mjen.1194756

Cited By: 2

Abstract

In this study, we focused on the synthesis of polymeric hydrogels that will support the sorption and controlled release of urea, which is a rich nitrogen source, from aqueous solutions and their usability in agricultural applications. N, N-Dimethylacrylamide (DMAAm) and Starch (St) were selected as monomers, and their superior properties, such as chemical stability, high sorption properties, biocompatibility, and the presence of modifiable groups, were utilized. A redox polymerization technique was used to create a poly(DMAAm-co-St)-based hydrogel that was then modified with acidic and basic agents to improve the properties of starch. The synthesized acid- and base-modified hydrogels were named DSt, DSt1, and DSt2, respectively. Swelling analyses were performed to examine the structural and morphological properties of DSt, DSt1, and DSt2 hydrogels, and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Thermogravimetric Analyzers (TGA) were used. Intense cross-linking, porosity, and the presence of hydrophilic groups were successfully detected by instrumental analysis and swelling results. The successful results of urea sorption by DSt, DSt1, and DSt2 hydrogels show that they can both minimize the harmful effects of urea in the environment and contain the nitrogen necessary for plants. At the same time, urea sorption behaviors were evaluated in terms of sorption isotherms and thermodynamic properties, and it was observed that urea sorption conformed to the Langmuir isotherm. The urea release results showed that DSt, DSt1, and DSt2 hydrogels exhibited different release properties in different pH solutions, and these results reached 94% at pH 6–8, 100% at pH 6, and 100% at pH 8–10, respectively. As a result of the gradual decrease in the water resources on the earth, the increase in the use of fertilizers in agricultural production, and the insufficient use of fertilizers, our study draws attention to the development and support of materials that absorb/store water, and forms of controlled release fertilizers and provides potential ease of application

Keywords

Controlled release, Hydrogel, Nitrogen loss, Starch, Water retention

Supporting Institution

Van Yuzuncu Yıl University BAP

Project Number

FBA-2019-7912

Thanks

This work is supported by the Van Yuzuncu Yıl University BAP with grant # FBA-2019-7912.

References

• [1]. Dawson C.J., Hilton J., “Fertiliser Availability in a Resource-Limited World: Production and Recycling of Nitrogen and Phosphorus”, Food Policy, 36, (2011), S14-S22.
• [2]. Ghafoor I., Habib-ur-Rahman M., Ali M., Afzal M., Ahmed W., Gaiser T., Ghaffar A., “Slow-Release Nitrogen Fertilizers Enhance Growth, Yield, NUE In Wheat Crop and Reduce Nitrogen Losses Under an Arid Environment”, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 28, (2021), 43528–43543.
• [3]. Jarvis S.C., “Nitrogen Cycling and Losses from Dairy Farm”, Soil Use and Management, 9(3), (1993), 99-105.
• [4]. Crusciol C.A.C., Almeida D.S., Alves C.J., Soratto R.P., Krebsky E.O., Spolidorio E.S., “Can Micronized Sulfur in Urea Reduce Ammoniacal Nitrogen Volatilization and Improve Maize Grain Yield?”, Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 19, (2019), 701–711.
• [5]. Rahman M.H., Ahmad I., Wang D. et al (2020) Influence of Semi-Arid Environment on Radiation Use Efficiency and Other Growth Attributes of Lentil Crop. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28:13697–13711. https://doi. org/10.1007/s11356-020-11376-w.
• [6]. Rao E.P., Puttanna K., “Nitrates, Agriculture and Environment”, Current Science, 79(9), (2000), 1163-1168.
• [7]. Bowles T.M., Atallah S.S., Campbell E.E., Gaudin A.C.M., Wieder W.R., Grandy A.S., “Addressing Agricultural Nitrogen Losses in a Changing Climate”, Nature Sustainability, 1, (2018), 399–408.
• [8]. Ersen Dudu T., Alpaslan D., Aktas N., “Urea Uptake and Release by Novel Macrogels from Dimethylacrylamide”, Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 50(18), (2019), 2278–2293.
• [9]. Neethu T.M., Dubey P.K., Kaswala A.R., “Prospects and Applications of Hydrogel Technology in Agriculture”, International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences, 7(5), (2018), 3155- 3162.
• [10]. Das D., Prakash P., Rout P.K., Bhaladhare S., “Synthesis and Characterization of Superabsorbent Cellulose-Based Hydrogel for Agriculture Application”, Starch – Stärke, 73, (2021), 1900284.
• [11]. Ersen Dudu T., Alpaslan D., Aktas N., “Superabsorbent Hydrogels Based on N,N-Dimethylacrylamide and Maleic Acid for Applications in Agriculture as Water Purifier and Nitrogen Carrier”, Polymer Bulletin, 79, (2022), 8551–8573.
• [12]. Ersen Dudu T., Alpaslan D., Aktas N., “Development of Urea Uptake and Release Studies Using N, N-Dimethylacrylamide/Maleic Acid/Citric Acid Based Macrogel”, Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 29, (2021), 3636–3648.
• [13]. Song B., Liang H., Sun R., Peng P., Jiang Y., She D., “Hydrogel Synthesis Based on Lignin/Sodium Alginate and Application in Agriculture”, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 144, (2020), 219–230.
• [14]. Cheng D., Liu Y., Yang G., Zhang A., “Water- and Fertilizer-Integrated Hydrogel Derived from the Polymerization of Acrylic Acid and Urea as a Slow-Release N Fertilizer and Water Retention in Agriculture”, Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 66, (2018), 5762−5769.
• [15]. Liu Y., Wang J., Chen H., Cheng D., “Environmentally Friendly Hydrogel: A review of Classification, Preparation and Application in Agriculture”, Science of the Total Environment, 846, (2022) 157303.
• [16]. Qu B., Luo Y., “Chitosan-Based Hydrogel Beads: Preparations, Modifications and Applications in Food and Agriculture Sectors – A Review”, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 152, (2020), 437–448.
• [17]. Akhmetzhan A., Myrzakhmetova N., Amangeldi N., Kuanyshova Z., Akimbayeva N., Dosmaganbetova S., Toktarbay Z., Longinos S.N., “A Short Review on the N,N-Dimethylacrylamide-Based Hydrogels”, Gels, 7, (2021), 234.
• [18]. Abdiyev K.Z., Toktarbay Z., Zhenissova A.Z., Zhursumbaeva M.B., Kainazarova R.N., Nuraje N., “The New Effective Flocculants Copolymers of N,N-Dimethyl-N,N-Diallyl-Ammonium Chloride and N,N-Dimethylacrylamide”, Colloids Surf. A, 480, (2015), 228–235.
• [19]. Soykeabkaew N., Thanomsilp C., Suwantong O., “A review: Starch-Based Composite Foams”, Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing, 78, (2015), 246-263.
• [20]. KaewtatipK., Tanrattanakul V., Phetrat W., “Preparation and Characterization of Kaolin/Starch Foam”, Applied Clay Science, 80–81, (2013), 413-416.
• [21]. Alpaslan D., Ersen Dudu T., Aktas N., “Synthesis of Smart Food Packaging from Poly(Gelatin-co-Dimethyl Acrylamide)/Citric Acid-Red Apple Peel Extract”, Soft Materials, 19(1), (2021), 64–77.
• [22]. Gupta N.V., Shivakumar H.G., “Investigation of Swelling Behavior and Mechanical Properties of a pH-Sensitive Superporous Hydrogel Composite”, Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 11 (2), (2012), 481-493.
• [23]. Sievers J., Sperlich K., Stahnke T., Kreiner C., Eickner T., Martin H., Guthoff R.F., Schünemann M., Bohn S., Stachs O., “Determination of Hydrogel Swelling Factors by Two Established and a Novel Non-Contact Continuous Method”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science 138, (2021), e50326.
• [24]. Adnadjevic B., Jovanovic J., “Novel Approach in Investigation of the Poly(AcrylicAcid) Hydrogel Swelling Kinetics in Water”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 107, (2008), 3579–3587.
• [25]. Peppas N.A., Franson N.M. “The Swelling Interface Number as a Criterion for Prediction of Diffusional Solute Release Mechanism in Swellable Polymers”, Journal of Polymer Science Polymer Physics Edition, 21, (1983), 983-997.
• [26]. Alpaslan D., Ersen Dudu T., “Removal of As(V), Cr(VI) and Cr(III) Heavy Metal Ions from Environmental Waters Using Amidoxime and Quaternized Hydrogels”, MANAS Journal of Engineering, 9(2), (2021), 104-114.
• [27]. Langmuir I., “The Adsorption of Gases on Plane Surfaces of Glass, Mica and Platinum”, Journal of the American Chemical Society, 40, (1918), 1361.
• [28]. Freundlich H.M.F., “Uber Die Adsorption in Losungen”, Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, 57, (1906), 385-470.
• [29]. Tempkin M.I., Pyzhev V., “Kinetics of Ammonia Synthesis on Promoted Iron Catalyst”, Acta Physicochimica URSS, 12, (1940), 327-356.
• [30]. Dubinin M.M., “The Potential Theory of Adsorption of Gases and Vapors for Adsorbents with Energetically Non-Uniform Surface”, Chemical Reviews, 60, (1960), 235-266.
• [31]. Al-Degs Y.S., El-Barghouthi M.I., El-Sheikh A.H., Walker G.M., “Effect of Solution pH, Ionic Strength, and Temperature on Adsorption Behavior of Reactive Dyes on Activated Carbon”, Dyes and Pigments, 77, (2008), 16-23.
• [32]. Çakmak M., Taşar Ş., Selen V., Özer D., Özer A., “Removal of Astrazon Golden Yellow 7GL from Colored Wastewater Using Chemically Modified Clay”, Journal of Central South University, 24, (2017), 743−753.
• [33]. Alpaslan D., Ersen Dudu T., Aktas N., “Development of Onion Oil-Based Organo-Hydrogel for Drug Delivery Material”, Journal Of Dispersion Science And Technology, https://doi.org/10.1080/01932691.2021.1974869.
• [34]. Varelas C.G., Dixon D.G, Steiner C., “Zero-Order Release from Biphasic Polymer Hydrogels”, Journal of Controlled Release, 34, (1995), 185-192.
• [35]. Higuchi T., “Mechanisms of Sustained Action Medication: Theoretical Analysis of the Rate of Release of Solid Drugs Dispersed in Solid Matrices”, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 52, (1963), 1145-1149.
• [36]. Korsmeyer R.W., Gurny R., Doelker E.M., Buri P., Peppas N.A., “Mechanism of Solute Release from Porous Hydrophilic Polymers”, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 15, (1983), 25-35.
• [37]. Peppasv N.A., Bures P., Leobandung W., Ichikawa H., “Hydrogels in Pharmaceutical Formulations”, European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 50, (2000), 27-46.
• [38]. Khare A.R., Peppas N.A., “Swelling/Deswelling of Anionic Copolymer Gels”, Biomaterials, 16, (1995), 559-567.
• [39]. Swenson H., Stadie N.P., “Langmuir’s Theory of Adsorption: A Centennial Review”, Langmuir, 35(16), (2019), 5409–5426.
• [40]. Zhou X., Yi H., Tang X., Deng H., Liu H., “Thermodynamics for the Adsorption of SO2, NO and CO2 from Flue Gas on Activated Carbon Fiber”, Chemical Engineering Journal, 200–202, (2012), 399- 404.
• [41]. Edet U.A., Ifelebuegu A.O., “Kinetics, Isotherms, and Thermodynamic Modeling of the Adsorption of Phosphates from Model Wastewater Using Recycled Brick Waste”, Processes, 8, (2020), 665. doi:10.3390/pr8060665.
• [42]. Rezk A.I., Obiweluozor F.O., Choukrani G., Park C.H., Kim C.S., “Drug Release and Kinetic Models of Anticancer Drug (BTZ) from a pH-Responsive Alginate Polydopamine Hydrogel: Towards Cancer Chemotherapy”, International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 141, (2019), 388-400.