Ameliorating Soil Sodicity Using Calcium Salt Incorporated Hydrogels
The potential of using hydrogels encapsulated with a water-soluble calcium salt, Ca(NO3)2 for the remediation and management of sodic soil, a degenerate soil condition associated with irrigation of recycled water was investigated. Environmentally friendly hydrogel, poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) was synthesised from the monomer, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). HEMA was also used to copolymerise with another monomer, N-vinyl pyrrolidinone (NVP) to form a more hydrophlic hydrogel. Starch and glucose were incorporated in certain hydrogels with the intention of evaluating their biodegradability in soils since starch and glucose would serve as nutrients for microbials in soils. Delivery of calcium ions embedded in hydrogels were investigated on sodic and non-sodic clay loam under saturated condition. It was found that the optimum hydrogel for this application was the copolymer that contained HEMA and NVP in equal mole ratio.