Charged-cellulose nanofibrils as a nutrient carrier in biodegradable polymers for enhanced efficiency fertilizers

Débora França; Gilberto Siqueira; Gustav Nyström; Frank Clemens; Claudinei Fonseca Souza; Roselena Faez

doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119934

Charged-cellulose nanofibrils as a nutrient carrier in biodegradable polymers for enhanced efficiency fertilizers

Carbohydr Polym. 2022 Nov 15:296:119934. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119934. Epub 2022 Aug 1.

Authors

Débora França¹, Gilberto Siqueira², Gustav Nyström³, Frank Clemens⁴, Claudinei Fonseca Souza⁵, Roselena Faez⁶

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Polymeric Materials and Biosorbents, Federal University of São Carlos, UFSCar, Rod. Anhanguera, km 174, Araras, SP 13600970, Brazil; Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, University of São Paulo, USP-FZEA, Pirassununga, SP 13635900, Brazil. Electronic address: deborafransa@gmail.com.
² Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
³ Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Cellulose & Wood Materials Laboratory, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland; Department of Health Sciences and Technology, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland. Electronic address: gustav.nystroem@empa.ch.
⁴ Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, Laboratory for High Performance Ceramics, Überlandstrasse 129, CH-8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland.
⁵ Research Group on Water, Soil and Environment Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, UFSCar, Rod. Anhanguera, km 174, Araras, SP, 13600970, Brazil.
⁶ Laboratory of Polymeric Materials and Biosorbents, Federal University of São Carlos, UFSCar, Rod. Anhanguera, km 174, Araras, SP 13600970, Brazil; Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering, University of São Paulo, USP-FZEA, Pirassununga, SP 13635900, Brazil. Electronic address: faez@ufscar.br.

PMID: 36087985
DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.119934

Abstract

An enhanced efficiency fertilizer (EEF) is essential for sustainable agriculture, and here, we evaluated cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) as a nutrient carrier dispersed in biodegradable polymeric matrices. CNF were functionalized with negative (CNF^-) and positive (CNF⁺) charges to improve (i) the CNF-nutrient and (ii) the CNF-polymeric matrix interactions. The CNF encapsulated the KNO₃ nutrient by spray drying (microcapsules) and then inserted into a poly (hydroxybutyrate)/starch-based matrix by melt-compounding (tablets). These materials were morphologically, structurally, and thermally characterized before and after biodegradation. Nutrient release profiles showed the microcapsules released the nutrients for up to 1 h, while the tablets did for 8 h in water and over 80 days in soil. Tablets with CNF^- released NO₃^- faster than K⁺, and those with CNF⁺ behaved inversely. Besides, the biodegradation efficiencies were up to 75 % in 120 days. The CNF charges affected nutrient release and the matrix biodegradation, ensuring the matrices were harmless to the environment.

Keywords: Agriculture; Anionic; Biopolymer; Cationic; Controlled release; Nanocellulose.

MeSH terms

Capsules
Cellulose*
Fertilizers
Nanofibers*
Nutrients
Polymers

Substances

Capsules
Cellulose
Fertilizers
Polymers