Preparation of Chitosan Biodegradable Polymer Composite: Study of Kinetics and Release Models of NPK Fertilizer in Aquatic Environment

Abstract

Frankincense fertilizers are a promising way to reduce environmental pollution. In this research, the biodegradable polymer chitosan composite was prepared by in-situ hydrogelation method. The release process of NPK fertilizer, as the most widely used chemical fertilizers used by farmers, was evaluated using this polymer composite. The release of NPK fertilizer was investigated at three different pH levels of 8, 7, and 6 in a period of 720 hours. The ability to release the studied fertilizers and the morphological conditions of the prepared composite were determined by FTIR, XRD, SEM, EDAX. The release mechanism of NPK was investigated by fitting four mathematical models. The results showed that in the zero-order, Higuchi and Krasmir Peppas model, the diffusion coefficient was high in the early stages of fertilizer release.