Sustainable SMART fertilizers in agriculture systems: A review on fundamentals to in-field applications

Optimizing sustainable agriculture: A comprehensive review of agronomic practices and their impacts on soil attributes

This study explores agronomic management (AM) effects on soil parameters under diverse conditions. Investigating tillage practices (TP), nutrient management (NM), crop rotation (CR), organic matter (OM), irrigation management (IM), and mulching (MS), it aims to reveal impacts on soil productivity, nutrient availability, microbial activity, and overall health. Varied TP affect soil quality through compaction, porosity, and erosion risk. Proper NM is vital for nutrient cycling, preventing imbalances and acidification. CR disrupts pest cycles, reduces weed pressure, and boosts nutrient recycling. OM management enhances soil quality by influencing organic carbon, nutrient availability, pH, fertility, and water retention. Optimizing IM regulates soil water content without inducing waterlogging. MS contributes to OM content, nutrient retention, soil structure, and temperature-moisture regulation, benefiting soil biota, aggregation, soil health and agricultural productivity. The review emphasizes integrated nutrient, CR, and OM management's positive impact on fertility and microbial activity. Different TP and IM variations impact soil health and crop production. Judicious implementation of these practices is essential for sustainable agriculture. This synthesis identifies uncertainties and proposes research directions for optimizing productivity while ensuring environmental sustainability. Ongoing inquiry can guide a balanced approach between yields and resilient soil stewardship for future generations.

Global-to-Local Dependencies in Phosphorus Mass Flows and Markets: Pathways to Improving System Resiliency in Response to Exogenous Shocks

Uneven global distribution of phosphate rock deposits and the supply chains to transport phosphorus (P) make P fertilizers vulnerable to exogenous shocks, including commodity market shocks; extreme weather events or natural disasters; and geopolitical instability, such as trade disputes, disruption of shipping routes, and war. Understanding bidirectional risk transmission (global-to-local and local-to-global) in P supply and consumption chains is thus essential. Ignoring P system interdependencies and associated risks could have major impacts on critical infrastructure operations and increase the vulnerability of global food systems. We highlight recent unanticipated events and cascading effects that have impacted P markets globally. We discuss the need to account for exogenous shocks in local assessments of P flows, policies, and infrastructure design choices. We also provide examples of how accounting for undervalued global risks to the P industry can hasten the transition to a sustainable P future. For example, leveraging internal P recycling loops, improving plant P use efficiency, and utilizing legacy soil P all enhance system resiliency in the face of exogenous shocks and long-term anticipated threats. Strategies applied at the local level, which are embedded within national and global policy systems, can have global-scale impacts in derisking the P supply chain.

Water resistant, biodegradable and flexible corn starch/carboxymethyl cellulose composite film for slow-release fertilizer coating materials

The inherent limitations of Cornstarch (CS) and Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) membranes, such as brittleness, fragility, and water solubility, limit their use in controlled-release fertilizers. This study reports on the synthesis of crosslinked CMC/CS-20-E composite membranes using the casting technique, with epichlorohydrin (ECH) as the crosslinking agent in an acidic environment to crosslink CS and CMC. The synthesized composite film demonstrates remarkable water resistance, as evidenced by the insignificant alteration in its morphology and structure post 72 h of water immersion. Its flexibility is reflected in its capacity to endure knotting and bending, with an elongation at break reaching 78.1 %. Moreover, the degradation rate surpasses 90 % within a span of seven days. The CMC/CS-20-E-x-urea controlled-release fertilizer was subsequently produced using a layer-by-layer self-assembly technique, where urea particles were incorporated into the crosslinked composite solution. This CMC/CS-20-E-x-urea controlled-release fertilizer displayed superior controlled-release performance over a duration of seven days when juxtaposed with pure urea. In particular, the CMC/CS-20-E-3 %-urea controlled-release fertilizer showed a cumulative release rate of 84 % by the seventh day. The controlled-release fertilizers developed in this study offer a promising strategy for creating eco-friendly options that are crucial for fertilizing crops with short growth cycles.

Development of spray-dried powder hand sanitiser with prolonged effectivity

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of hand sanitisers has become an inseparable part of our personal hygiene. However, the short-term effect and the need for frequent application are shortcomings that impair the overall protection. Another aspect is that repeated use of some products (typically alcohol-based) may cause skin irritation or eventually more severe health problems. This work proposes spray-drying as a suitable method for the preparation of swellable chitosan carriers, allowing for encapsulation and sustained release of antibacterial chlorhexidine digluconate as a model active substance. After application to hands, micron-sized particles preferentially accommodate space between epidermal ridges, protected against attrition. Thanks to their small size (d < 10 µm), particles are comfortable to carry since they are not recognisable by somatosensory receptors. The performance of formulations with various amounts of chlorhexidine and cross-linker was tested and compared with selected commercial disinfectants available on the Czech market (ethanol gel and alcoholic solution with chlorhexidine) against E. coli and S. epidermidis. The real-life performance was investigated with twelve volunteers performing various activities for up to 2 h. Finally, a replica of the human index finger with accurately captured micro-topology was proposed and compared with volunteers' fingers concerning the total amount of adhered and detached particles.

An Overview of Microbial Fuel Cell Technology for Sustainable Electricity Production

The over-exploitation of fossil fuels and their negative environmental impacts have attracted the attention of researchers worldwide, and efforts have been made to propose alternatives for the production of sustainable and clean energy. One proposed alternative is the implementation of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs), such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs), which are sustainable and environmentally friendly. MFCs are devices that use bacterial activity to break down organic matter while generating sustainable electricity. Furthermore, MFCs can produce bioelectricity from various substrates, including domestic wastewater (DWW), municipal wastewater (MWW), and potato and fruit wastes, reducing environmental contamination and decreasing energy consumption and treatment costs. This review focuses on recent advancements regarding the design, configuration, and operation mode of MFCs, as well as their capacity to produce bioelectricity (e.g., 2203 mW/m2) and fuels (i.e., H2: 438.7 mg/L and CH4: 358.7 mg/L). Furthermore, this review highlights practical applications, challenges, and the life-cycle assessment (LCA) of MFCs. Despite the promising biotechnological development of MFCs, great efforts should be made to implement them in a real-time and commercially viable manner.