Affiliation:
1. Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering University of Kentucky Lexington Kentucky USA
2. Department of Agronomy Iowa State University Ames Iowa USA
Abstract
AbstractSuperabsorbent polymers (SAPs), sometimes known as hydrogels, have been proposed as soil amendments to enhance soil water management. But the performance of SAPs as soil amendments depends on their stability in soil. Bio‐based SAPs have been praised as environmentally sustainable due to their apparent fast biodegradation relative to synthetic SAPs. But the fast biodegradation of bio‐based SAPs may come at a cost to their long‐term performance for repeated absorption and release of water in the soil. The purpose of this review is to (i) concisely summarize the methods and mechanisms involved in the biodegradation of different bio‐based and synthetic SAPs, (ii) critically review studies conducted on the biodegradability of bio‐based and synthetic SAPs when used as soil amendments, and (iii) discuss the implications of the biodegradability of bio‐based and synthetic SAPs on their physical properties and stability in soil and (iv) identify potential research directions. Understanding the biodegradability of synthetic compared to bio‐based SAPs and their advantages and disadvantages as soil amendments is important to researchers and farmers when choosing a specific type of SAPs as an agricultural soil amendment.
Funder
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Subject
Materials Chemistry,Polymers and Plastics,Surfaces, Coatings and Films,General Chemistry
Cited by
11 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献