A benchmark study on economic impact of Neem Coated Urea on Indian agriculture

Functionalization of seaweed bloom-derived Ulvan using response surface methodology with application in flocculation of oil-in-water pollution

Utilizing macroalgal waste biomass for pollution management is a highly efficient method for addressing the environmental difficulties associated with its disposal. To accomplish this, we have attempted to synthesize a graft copolymer by combining ulvan, a sulfated polysaccharide isolated from seaweed, with acrylates. A one-pot synthesis method using UV-initiated graft polymerization with V-50 as the photoinitiator resulted in the production of a distinctive, high-performance, and eco-friendly flocculant, Ulvan-g-Poly (acrylamide-co-acrylic acid) referred as P(U_AAm_AAc). The synthesis was optimized using the CCD-RSM approach, employing molecular weight and inherent viscosity as indicators to optimize the parameters. The structural and physio-chemical properties of the synthesized P(U_AAm_AAc) were characterized utilizing XRD, ATR-FTIR, ζ-potential, and H1 NMR spectroscopy. The flocculation performance of P(U_AAm_AAc) was further examined for the removal of oils from samples with high neem oil in urea solution and low crude oil in seawater. By employing a coagulant-flocculant combination of poly-aluminium chloride (PAC) and P(U_AAm_AAc), it was noted that more than 94% of oil was effectively eliminated in both samples. Optimization of the dosage of P(U_AAm_AAc) resulted in enhanced turbidity reduction and improved dewatering efficiency of the filter cake generated following flocculation. An evaluation of performance was conducted using the commercial flocculant APAM, where synthesized P(U_AAm_AAc) demonstrated similar results. In conclusion, the findings of this research highlight the potential of P(U_AAm_AAc) as a sustainable alternative to commercial flocculants with multifaceted solution to coastal waste management, paving the way for a cleaner and healthier marine ecosystem to mitigate oil emulsion pollution.

Environment-friendly nitrogen management practices in wetland paddy cultivation

A large amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is required for paddy cultivation, but nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in paddy farming is low (20–40%). Much of the unutilized N potentially degrades the quality of soil, water, and air and disintegrates the functions of different ecosystems. It is a great challenge to increase NUE and sustain rice production to meet the food demand of the growing population. This review attempted to find out promising N management practices that might increase NUE while reducing the trade-off between rice production and environmental pollution. We collected and collated information on N management practices and associated barriers. A set of existing soil, crop, and fertilizer management strategies can be suggested for increasing NUE, which, however, might not be capable to halve N waste by 2030 as stated in the “Colombo Declaration” by the United Nations Environment Program. Therefore, more efficient N management tools are yet to be developed through research and extension. Awareness-raising campaign among farmers is a must against their misunderstanding that higher N fertilizer provides higher yields. The findings might help policymakers to formulate suitable policies regarding eco-friendly N management strategies for wetland paddy cultivation and ensure better utilization of costly N fertilizer.