EFFECTIVENESS OF WATER SOLUBLE PAM

Abstract

A compound and method that improves the effectiveness of water soluble polyacrylamide placed on the soil that comprises WSPAM and humic compounds.

Claims

1. A method for improving the effectiveness of water soluble acrylamide placed on the soil comprising: providing water soluble PAM and humic compounds in a carrier; providing said carrier to soil; increasing number of potential binding sites for WSPAM to attach to both soil particles and to plant nutrient in said soil.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said WSPAM's ability to stabilize soil particles and reduce loss of plant nutrients through leaching, runoff, and erosion is improved.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compound comprises humic acids, fulvic acids and humins.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compounds assist with soil structure, improving both water infiltration and soil water holding capacity.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compounds benefit soil structure by producing stable soil aggregates.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compounds affect certain plant nutrients, including trace elements.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said humic compounds chelate said trace elements, making them more available to plants as well as binding them to soil particles, reducing their likelihood to be lost through erosion, leaching or runoff.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compounds comprise leonardite, which is formed by oxidation of lignite.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compounds are from plants.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compound comprise tannin, a type of humic acid, a phenolic compound produced by certain plants.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said PAM and humic compounds are included in a pelletized fertilizer product, into products containing seed plus fertilizer and mulch or into products containing seed plus fertilizer and soil improvers.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said PAM and humic compounds are incorporated into fertilizer and mulch granules as dry powder or applied as dry powder after treatment with WSPAM emulsion.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said PAM and humic compounds are applied in fertilizer and mulch granules as an oil emulsion PAM spray and dry humic compounds.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said humic compounds and WSPAM improve infiltration in soil, increase water holding capacity of said soil, and increase nutrient retention in said soil.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said carrier is a fertilizer or mineral compound.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said WSPAM and said humic compound in said fertilizer or mineral compound is approximately 0.25% to about 1.5% of the total product weight.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein said compound further comprises a surfactant.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said WSPAM compound is applied in a dry form.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said WSPAM compound is applied in an oil emulsion form

20. The method of claim 1 wherein said PAM compound is provided to a carrier, such as a mulch, fertilizer, minerals or any combination thereof, at an application rate which allows said PAM compound to bind to the soil particles.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein said PAM and humic compounds are impregnated or applied to said solid carrier.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein said solid carrier is produced by agglomeration.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] In ajar test using a composted chicken manure fertilizer dissolved in deionized water, the addition of 0.6% tannin and 0.25% WSPAM (by weight) was sufficient to produce significant reduction of multiple nutrients in supernatant liquid after 24 hours of settling. Significant reductions were seen for phosphorous, potassium, calcium, sulfur, and silicon. This indicates these nutrients are retained in the dissolved fertilizer pellets, reducing the potential that they could be lost by leaching or runoff.

[0042] In jar tests using soil dissolved in water plus mineral soil amendments such as gypsum or lime treated with 1.5% WSPAM, soil particles quickly precipitate (flocculate) when the WSPAM dissolves after stirring. By adding a small amount of tannin (0.02 grams added to 500 ml water in the jar), additional soil particles in solution quickly precipitate, leaving the resulting water visibly clearer compared to WSPAM alone.

Example 1

[0043] A soil amending granule is produced by pelletizing anaerobically digested manure, gypsum, and calcitic limestone through an agglomeration process. In agglomeration, digested dairy manure is combined with gypsum and limestone in a pin mixer or paddle mixer. After mixing, the resulting granules are further processed in a pan pelletizer (pan granulator) before being dried in a rotary dryer. ARer drying, product is screened to ensure consistency in size, removing dust and undersized granules. Screenings are recycled back into the mix in the paddle mixer to improve production efficiency and minimize waste. An oil emersion of WSPAM is sprayed onto finished granules at a rate of 0.8% by weight. After WSPAM application, dry tannin is applied at 0.5% of weight.

Example 2

[0044] A soil amending granule is produced by extrusion of aerobically composted dairy manure, gypsum, and calcitic limestone. After extrusion, the pellets sprayed with an oil emulsion of WSPAM at a rate of 0.8% by weight. After WSPAM application, dry tannin is applied at 0.5% of weight.

Example 3

[0045] A fertilizer granule produced through extrusion, composed of aerobically composted chicken manure, blood meal, feather meal, bone meal and sulfate of potash. After extrusion, the granules are crushed in a roller and sprayed with an oil emulsion of WSPAM at 1% by weight. After WSPAM application, dry tannin is applied at 0.75% of weight. By varying the proportions of the ingredients, fertilizers can be made with a range of nutrient values for nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P) and potassium (K). For instance, a 5-5-5 NPK all-purpose fertilizer, a 2-7-7 fertilizer designed for optimizing growth of flowering plants, or a 3-8-7 fertilizer designed for garden vegetables. Optional ingredients can be added to provide further benefits to plant growth and soil health, including additional humic substances, mineral substances containing micronutrients and seaweed extract.