Research article2012Peer reviewed
Dissolution Kinetics of Macronutrient Fertilizers Coated with Manufactured Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles
Milani, Narges; McLaughlin, Mike J.; Stacey, Samuel P.; Kirby, Jason K.; Hettiarachchi, Ganga M.; Beak, Douglas G.; Cornelis, Geert
Abstract
The solubility of Zn in Zn fertilizers plays an important role in the agronomic effectiveness of the fertilizer. On the basis of thermodynamics, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) should dissolve faster and to a greater extent than bulk ZnO particles (equivalent spherical diameter >100 nm). These novel solubility features of ZnO NPs might be exploited to improve the efficiency of Zn fertilizers. En this study, we compared the Zn solubility and dissolution kinetics of ZnO nanoparticles and bulk ZnO particles coated onto two selected granular macronutrient fertilizers, urea and monoammonium phosphate (MAP). The main Zn species on coated MAP and urea granules were zinc ammonium phosphate and ZnO, respectively. Coated MAP granules showed greater Zn solubility and faster dissolution rates in sand columns compared to coated urea granules, which may be related to pH differences in the solution surrounding the fertilizer granules. The kinetics of Zn dissolution was not affected by the size of the ZnO particles applied for coating of either fertilizer type, possibly because solubility was controlled by formation of the same compounds irrespective of the size of the original ZnO particles used for coating.
Keywords
zinc; ZnO; nanoparticles; solubility; dissolution kinetics; fertilizer
Published in
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
2012, Volume: 60, number: 16, pages: 3991-3998
Publisher: AMER CHEMICAL SOC
UKÄ Subject classification
Soil Science
Publication identifier
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/jf205191y
Permanent link to this page (URI)
https://res.slu.se/id/publ/80959