Microstructural and Adsorption Behavior of Non-Polar Amino Acids in Soil Amended with Polyethylene Glycol

Abstract

Amino acids aid in the growth and development of plants. Soil microbes outcompete plants for amino acids because they are great source of carbon and nitrogen for microbes. To overcome this problem, new agricultural practices are required. Due to minimal integration and ecological environmental preservation, polyethylene glycol is used as a soil-stabilizer to study its stabilization effect on soil. Six soil samples (0%-5% Polyethylene Glycol) were prepared to study the effect of polymer on soil-amino acid interaction. Five non-polar amino acids, viz., glycine, alanine, 2-aminobutyric acid, leucine and methionine, on soil were studied with soil thin layer chromatography. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction studies successfully marked the presence of Polyethylene Glycol in the soil. Mobility of amino acid is positively correlated with the concentration of Polyethylene Glycol in the soil. The effect of polymer on soil-amino acid interaction could be applied as a new reference for polymer-improved soil engineering.