Correction: Recent advances in nano-fertilizers: synthesis, crop yield impact, and economic analysis.

Correction for 'Recent advances in nano-fertilizers: synthesis, crop yield impact, and economic analysis' by Badr-Eddine Channab et al., Nanoscale, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/d3nr05012b.

Recent advances in nano-fertilizers: synthesis, crop yield impact, and economic analysis.

The escalating global demand for food production has predominantly relied on the extensive application of conventional fertilizers (CFs). However, the increased use of CFs has raised concerns regarding environmental risks, including soil and water contamination, especially within cereal-based cropping systems. In response, the agricultural sector has witnessed the emergence of healthier alternatives by utilizing nanotechnology and nano-fertilizers (NFs). These innovative NFs harness the remarkable properties of nanoparticles, ranging in size from 1 to 100 nm, such as nanoclays and zeolites, to enhance nutrient utilization efficiency. Unlike their conventional counterparts, NFs offer many advantages, including variable solubility, consistent and effective performance, controlled release mechanisms, enhanced targeted activity, reduced eco-toxicity, and straightforward and safe delivery and disposal methods. By facilitating rapid and complete plant absorption, NFs effectively conserve nutrients that would otherwise go to waste, mitigating potential environmental harm. Moreover, their superior formulations enable more efficient promotion of sustainable crop growth and production than conventional fertilizers. This review comprehensively examines the global utilization of NFs, emphasizing their immense potential in maintaining environmentally friendly crop output while ensuring agricultural sustainability.

Nanocellulose: Structure, modification, biodegradation and applications in agriculture as slow/controlled release fertilizer, superabsorbent, and crop protection: A review.

This review investigates the potential of nanocellulose in agriculture, encompassing its structure, synthesis, modification, and applications. Our investigation of the characteristics of nanocellulose includes a comprehensive classification of its structure. Various mechanical, chemical and enzymatic synthesis techniques are evaluated, each offering distinct possibilities. The central role of surface functionalization is thoroughly examined. In particular, we are evaluating the conventional production of nanocellulose, thus contributing to the novelty. This review is a pioneering effort to comprehensively explore the use of nanocellulose in slow and controlled release fertilizers, revolutionizing nutrient management and improving crop productivity with reduced environmental impact. Additionally, our work uniquely integrates diverse applications of nanocellulose in agriculture, ranging from slow-release fertilizers, superabsorbent cellulose hydrogels for drought stress mitigation, and long-lasting crop protection via nanocellulose-based seed coatings. The study ends by identifying challenges and unexplored opportunities in the use of nanocellulose in agriculture. This review makes an innovative contribution by being the first comprehensive study to examine the multiple applications of nanocellulose in agriculture, including slow-release and controlled-release fertilizers.

Superabsorbent hydrogels based on natural polysaccharides: Classification, synthesis, physicochemical properties, and agronomic efficacy under abiotic stress conditions: A review.

Superabsorbent polymers (SAPs) are a class of polymers that have attracted tremendous interest due to their multifunctional properties and wide range of applications. The importance of this class of polymers is highlighted by the large number of publications, including articles and patents, dealing with the use of SAPs for various applications. Within this framework, this review provides an overview of SAPs and highlights various key aspects, such as their history, classification, and preparation methods, including those related to chemically or physically cross-linked networks, as well as key factors affecting their performance in terms of water absorption and storage. This review also examines the potential use of polysaccharides-based SAPs in agriculture as soil conditioners or slow-release fertilizers. The basic aspects of SAPs, and methods of chemical modification of polysaccharides are presented and guidelines for the preparation of hydrogels are given. The water retention and swelling mechanisms are discussed in light of some mathematical empirical models. The nutrient slow-release kinetics of nutrient-rich SAPs are also examined on the basic of commonly used mathematical models. Some examples illustrating the advantages of using SAPs in agriculture as soil conditioners and agrochemical carriers to improve crop growth and productivity are presented and discussed. This review also attempts to provide an overview of the role of SAPs in mitigating the adverse effects of various abiotic stresses, such as heavy metals, salinity, and drought, and outlines future trends and prospects.

A comprehensive review on starch: Structure, modification, and applications in slow/controlled-release fertilizers in agriculture.

This comprehensive review thoroughly examines starch's structure, modifications, and applications in slow/controlled-release fertilizers (SRFs) for agricultural purposes. The review begins by exploring starch's unique structure and properties, providing insights into its molecular arrangement and physicochemical characteristics. Various methods of modifying starch, including physical, chemical, and enzymatic techniques, are discussed, highlighting their ability to impart desirable properties such as controlled release and improved stability. The review then focuses on the applications of starch in the development of SRFs. It emphasizes the role of starch-based hydrogels as effective nutrient carriers, enabling their sustained release to plants over extended periods. Additionally, incorporating starch-based hydrogel nano-composites are explored, highlighting their potential in optimizing nutrient release profiles and promoting plant growth. Furthermore, the review highlights the benefits of starch-based fertilizers in enhancing plant growth and crop yield while minimizing nutrient losses. It presents case studies and field trials demonstrating starch-based formulations' efficacy in promoting sustainable agricultural practices. Overall, this review consolidates current knowledge on starch, its modifications, and its applications in SRFs, providing valuable insights into the potential of starch-based formulations to improve nutrient management, boost crop productivity, and support sustainable agriculture.

Alginate@ZnCO2O4 for efficient peroxymonosulfate activation towards effective rhodamine B degradation: optimization using response surface methodology.

A facile chemical procedure was utilized to produce an effective peroxy-monosulfate (PMS) activator, namely ZnCo2O4/alginate. To enhance the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB), a novel response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box-Behnken Design (BBD) method was employed. Physical and chemical properties of each catalyst (ZnCo2O4 and ZnCo2O4/alginate) were characterized using several techniques, such as FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, and TEM. By employing BBD-RSM with a quadratic statistical model and ANOVA analysis, the optimal conditions for RhB decomposition were mathematically determined, based on four parameters including catalyst dose, PMS dose, RhB concentration, and reaction time. The optimal conditions were achieved at a PMS dose of 1 g l-1, a catalyst dose of 1 g l-1, a dye concentration of 25 mg l-1, and a time of 40 min, with a RhB decomposition efficacy of 98%. The ZnCo2O4/alginate catalyst displayed remarkable stability and reusability, as demonstrated by recycling tests. Additionally, quenching tests confirmed that SO4˙-/OH˙ radicals played a crucial role in the RhB decomposition process.

Starch-based controlled release fertilizers: A review.

Starch, as a widely available renewable resource, has the potential to be used in the production of controlled-release fertilizers (CRFs) that support sustainable agriculture. These CRFs can be formed by incorporating nutrients through coating or absorption, or by chemically modifying the starch to enhance its ability to carry and interact with nutrients. This review examines the various methods of creating starch-based CRFs, including coating, chemical modification, and grafting with other polymers. In addition, the mechanisms of controlled release in starch-based CRFs are discussed. Overall, the potential benefits of using starch-based CRFs in terms of resource efficiency and environmental protection are highlighted.

A Novel Approach to Prepare Cellulose-g-Hydroxyapatite Originated from Natural Sources as an Efficient Adsorbent for Heavy Metals: Batch Adsorption Optimization via Response Surface Methodology.

In the present research, we describe a novel approach for in situ synthesis of cellulose microfibrils-grafted-hydroxyapatite (CMFs-g-HAPN (8%)) as an adsorbent using phosphate rock and date palm petiole wood as alternative and natural Moroccan resources. The synthesized CMFs-g-HAPN (8%) was extensively characterized by several instrumental techniques like thermogravimetry analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning electron microscopy, and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis. The developed adsorbent was used to remove Pb(II) and Cu(II) from aqueous solutions. The influences of different adsorption parameters such as contact time, initial metal concentration, and amount of adsorbent were also investigated thoroughly using response surface methodology in order to optimize the batch adsorption process. The results confirmed that the adsorption process follows a polynomial quadratic model as high regression parameters were obtained (R 2 value = 99.8% for Pb(II) and R 2 value = 92.6% for Cu(II)). According to kinetics and isotherm modeling, the adsorption process of both studied ions onto CMFs-g-HAPN (8%) followed the pseudo-second-order model, and the equilibrium data at 25 °C were better fitted by the Langmuir model. The maximum adsorption capacities of the CMFs-g-HAPN (8%) adsorbent toward Pb(II) and Cu(II) are 143.80 and 83.05 mg/g, respectively. Moreover, the experiments of multicycle adsorption/desorption indicated that the CMFs-g-HAPN (8%) adsorbent could be regenerated and reused up to three cycles. The high adsorption capacities of both studied metals and regeneration performances of the CMFs-g-HAPN (8%) suggest its applicability as a competitive adsorbent for large-scale utilization.