The Green Synthesis of Chitosan Based Super Absorbent Polymerto Enhance Water Holding Capacity of Soil
Journal Title: International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research (IJASR) - Year 2019, Vol 9, Issue 4
Abstract
Super Absorbent Polymers (SAP) are cross-linked hydrophilic polymers having three-dimensional network, which absorb and retain huge quantities of water than their original mass and volume, and release during the dry conditions. Super absorbent polymers are used as soil conditioner in agriculture for improving soil water holding capacity. The conventional hydrogels available in the market are acrylate-based products, which are not biodegradable and hazardous in nature. This research was attempted to synthesize super absorbent polymers from renewable sources along with biocompatible cross linkers to make it completely biodegradable and biocompatible for agricultural use. In this current study, hydrogels were synthesized using chitosan cross-linked with polyethylene glycol, citric acid and oxalic acid. Chitosan based hydrogels were characterized for moisture content, equilibrium water absorbency, swelling ability in acidic (pH=4) and alkaline (pH=10) conditions. The surface morphology and cross-linking of hydrogel was characterized through electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy respectively. The results showed that equilibrium water absorbency of chitosan cross-linked with polyethylene glycol was 3851 per cent of hydrogel followed by hydrogel with oxalic acid retained 3130 per cent. Similar trend of swelling capacity was observed in acidic and alkaline pH. Soil water holding capacity amended with hydrogels was determined through Keen-Rackzowski box, which revealed that soils amended with chitosan – graft- oxalic acid @ 0.1 per cent exhibited higher water holding capacity even after drying for 7h in oven at 70°C.
Authors and Affiliations
Gowtham Golla, Marimuthu S, Subramanian K. S, Santhanakrishnan V. P
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP649108
- DOI 10.24247/ijasraug201915
- Views 163
- Downloads 0
Characterization of South Indian Paddy Varieties Under Commercial Cultivation Through Morphological and Molecular Markers
Rice varieties under commercial cultivation of Tamil Nadu, were characterized morphologically and also using SSR markers, selected from 12 linkage groups of the rice genome. In case of morphological characters, the level...
Performance Evaluation and Modification of Shredder Cutting Mechanism
In order to aid in engineering design and modification of cutting mechanism in shredders, and to investigate the effect of parameter on cutting energy, an impact type pendulum test rig was used to measure the energy requ...
Knowledge about Menarche and Menstruation among Tribal Females of Kargil
The present study was carried out, to assess the knowledge of tribal females of Kargil, about menstruation. The sample for the study consisted of 320 adolescent’s girls, 100 mothers and 100 grandmothers, belonging to Bal...
MARKETABLE AND MARKETED SURPLUSES OF MUSTARD IN MORAR BLOCK OF GWALIOR DISTRICT OF MADHYA PRADESH
In this paper, investigation has been made to analyse the marketable and marketed surpluses of mustard in Morar block of Gwalior district (Madhya Pradesh). Study revealed that the total production generated by large, med...
Current Livestock Scenario in India and Their Contribution to National Economy
Livestock sector is one of the main sectors that play a very important role, in Indian rural population welfare. A major section of India’s labor force is employed by the livestock sector. It provides draft power in larg...