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General
Discussion On Superabsorbents
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Polymers
We Use Today
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Man has relied upon the natural polymer's wood, leather, silk
and plants for food, clothing and tools. For nearly a century
now, with the help of advances in science, man has developed and
utilized synthetic polymers such as nylon, polyethylene, and polyurethane.
Synthetic polymers offer low cost, high strength, materials used
to a large degree to replace more costly natural polymers. Synthetic
polymers have for many years been used in packaging, compact discs
to clothing, food additives to tarter control agents in toothpaste.
The next time you are grocery shopping and are asked at the check-out
"Paper or plastic?", choose plastic, as it takes 4 times
as much energy to make a paper bag as the plastic one - and which
one is the strongest. Today, in the U.S. alone there
are over 65 billion pounds of synthetic polymers manufactured
each year.
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Just
What Is A Polymer
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Polymers are huge molecules consisting of discrete units linked
together to form long chains. A simple polymer made up of only
one structural unit is called a homopolymer. As the range of structural
units, called monomers, become more complex a copolymer is formed.
The distinguishing features of a polymer are determined by the
chemical properties of the monomeric units (i.e., what the polymer
is specifically composed of), the way in which the monomeric units
are linked together, and the size or molecular weight of the polymer.
Each of these parameters contributes to the physical properties
of the polymer product.
The
synthesis of some synthetic polymeric materials, like polypropylene
and polyester, involve the use of toxic compounds when assembling
the monomers into polymers. This process is referred to as polymerization.
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Toxicity
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Although toxic intermediates are sometimes used in the manufacturer
of polymers, the final polymer products themselves are rarely
toxic. Few commercially important polymers have any toxicity at
all, thus they are used in a broad range of applications from
food packaging to medical care. It is important to note that toxicity
is often determined by the dose or concentration of a substance,
so many compounds that pose health or ecological risks at very
high concentrations may pose little risk at low concentrations.
With respect to the agriculturally designed superabsorbent polymers
made using acrylamide the potential of any level of toxicity is
unlikely. Manufacturers test each individual production batch
for the level of free monier present. The EPA has established
a level of 0.10% of free monier as the upper limit of free monier
present before the product registration with the agency would
be required. The free monier level of all superabsorbent polymers
sold in this market today is below EPA levels that require registration.
Any free monier that is present in a superabsorbent would go into
solution the first time that the material is introduced to water
because the free monier is soluble. Further, if the superabsorbent
polymer absorbs 300-400 times its weight in water then any free
monier present, after this leaching effect, would further by deluded
by 300-400 times. Independent test results have shown no detectable
free monier present in tissue of tomatoes grown hydroponically
in a 100%, fully hydrated, superabsorbent polymer gel.
It should be pointed out that acrylamide is presently used throughout
the United States, and the world, in municipal wastewater treatment
facilities to separate suspended particles in potable water. Acrylamide
polymers are so safe that they are presently used in toothpaste
to provide tarter control.
USDA tox data
More,
More
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Agricultural
Superabsorbents
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Union Carbide introduced superabsorbent polymers to the markets
in the early 60's. The product, which absorbed 30 times its weight
in water, and did not last long, was sold to the greenhouse and
retail markets. Although a select customer base did evolve
the product proved to be unsuccessful in the market because of
its low swell (high cost per unit of water held) and short life.
In 1974, researchers at the USDA Northern Research Lab, in Peoria,
Illinois, developed a starch superabsorbent that was high swell
and significantly reduced the amount of material needed to absorb
a given quantity of water. Industrial Services International,
Inc. (ISI) was formed, and licensed by USDA to promote the use
of these new materials.
I was President and Chairman of ISI for 16 years, from 1980 to
1996. Commercial applications were developed during the late 70's
and early 80's, specifically in forestry and landscaping applications.
Starch superabsorbents, although high swell, were short lived
in the ground because they contained nearly 100% pure starch and
were actually consumed by microbial activity, limiting their utility
in all applications and resulting in slow acceptance by the markets.
In October 1982, ISI introduced the first synthetic superabsorbent
to the commercial markets. These materials were high swell and
long life. Over the years ISI has led the market in product development
and technical services. ISI participated in over 300 industry
trade shows and has invested over $10,000,000 in marketing costs
and $50,000 in research activities, principally in the United
States.
Author's Footnote:
In 1996
I sold ISI to Plant Health Care, Inc., of Pittsburgh, PA along
with the trade name Terra-Sorb and have subsequently established
a new company to continue the development of superabsorbents globally
with the highest quality, longest lasting, superabsorbents available
anywhere. The new company is called Horticultural Alliance,
Inc. and is based in Sarasota, Florida. The
trade name that is earning its way to the top is Horta-Sorb®.
Remember this name
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Horta-Sorb®
Super
Absorbent Polymers
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Improve
the following SOIL PROPERTIES:
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- Soil water holding capacity
- Soil water availability
- Soil infiltration
- Soil aeration
- Soil friability
- Soil flocculation
- Soil permeability
- Soil compaction is reduced
- Soil aggregate size and number
- Soil water tensions for available water
- Soil water management practices are enhanced.
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Improve
the following PLANT RESPONSES:
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- Nutrient release
- Nitrification of soil
- Reduces iron chlorosis in plants
- Decreases costs of plant production
- Microflora and bacterial content of soil
- Nutrient soil/moisture osmotic plant uptake
- Reduced transplant stress
- Increased yields
- Increase survival
- Increase shelf life
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Features
of Horta-Sorb®
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- Absorbs hundreds of times its weight
- can be used alone as a rooting media
- reduce impact pressure in turf (injury)
- reduce pesticide (herbicides, fungicides) use
- absorbs soluble fertilizer and time releases it
- improves drainage when used as a soil amendment
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What
can Horta-Sorb® do for YOU?
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- Reduced watering - with your company labor or your clients
- reduced transplant shock - a potential problem which
reflects poorly on your company
- reduce re-plants - very costly and embarrassing to your
company
- shows that your company has forward thinking management
- both you and your clients will notice the difference
- what a pleasure!!
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Watering
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Plants are watered on a schedule between field capacity
and wilting. During the time between irrigation, growth
of the plant speeds up and slows down as conditions of
moisture, aeration, temperature, etc., become ideal and
then move to a less favorable combination. With Horta-Sorb®
in the root zone this fluctuation of moisture levels is
slower, consequently the growth of the plant does not
slow down as much between irrigation cycles or natural
rain fed irrigation and therefore plant growth is optimized.
Understanding how Horta-Sorb®
can affect these variables enables a grower to exercise
more precise control of the plant's environment. This
knowledge can be used to achieve an increased growth rate
at whatever combination of moisture, aeration, temperature,
etc., provides the best growth for the plant.
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Aeration
& Water Retention
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Over 90% of moisture held by Horta-Sorb® is available to the plant. No
other component used in growing mixes gives up this much
retained water to the plant. As Horta-Sorb®
expands and contracts, it opens and exercises the growing
medium by forcing soil particles apart.
Aeration is the space between particles in a grower's
mix. It is important because it provides for the exhaust
of carbon dioxide expelled by growing roots and other
microorganisms in the soil. It also enables the intake
of oxygen into the soil and is absolutely necessary to
support root development and growth.
The amount of water retained in the soil is determined
by soil particle size, e.g., the larger the particle size,
the less its ability to attract and retain water, and
conversely, the smaller the particle the greater its ability
to attract and retain water. The smaller the particle
size the stronger the water will adhere to it. Consequently,
its retained moisture is less available to the plant.
Because aeration and retained available water are directly
associated with larger soil particles (openings or pore
spaces between particles of the mix), and water retention
and lack of aeration are directly associated with smaller
soil particles, what is the "ideal" growing
medium for plants has perplexed growers and makers of
potting mixes for years.
It is important to recognize that aeration in a mix is
much more difficult to manage than moisture. If moisture
deficiency exists, more frequent irrigation can be employed.
But, if aeration deficiency exists, the plant must be
removed and the growing environment (root zone) modified
with larger particles to improve drainage and porosity.
Using Horta-Sorb®
to manage water in a mix permits growers to use very well
aerated mix that when combined with more controllable
moisture management provide conditions for roots to develop
more quickly. Instead of using organic matter like peat
moss for water management, which breaks down and eventually
"plugs-up" the mix, a less degradable mix component
can be used to achieve precise aeration and moisture with
Horta-Sorb®.
Using more stable mix components is a major step toward
improving production and controlling problems associated
with traditional management of a growing media.
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Provides
Efficient Use of Water
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A major advantage of using Horta-Sorb® is its ability to make use of
moisture present in soil which otherwise is not available
to plants. Clay soils, for example, hold a great deal
of water, but less than half of the water held is available
to the roots. With Horta-Sorb®
over 95% of the water held by the superabsorbent is available
to the roots. The superabsorbent works in any type of
soil. In fact, studies have shown that you can actually
grow directly in the superabsorbent without soil.
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Provides
Efficient Use of Fertilizer
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When a superabsorbent absorbs water that contains fertilizer
studies has shown that it time releases this fertilizer.
The same holds true with other solubles contained in the
water. This feature of a superabsorbent can greatly provide
cost savings for the commercial grower that otherwise
would cost many fold more to obtain with conventional
time-release systems. More
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RESEARCH
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Independent research has shown that properly manufactured
superabsorbent polymers for agriculture:
are inert
are not toxic
increase survival
increase shelf life
reduce watering over 50%
last in the ground for years
absorb fertilizer and time release it
can be used alone as a rooting media
reduce impact pressure in turf (injury)
reduce pesticide (herbicides, fungicides) use
improve drainage when used as a soil amendment
Research
Bibliography (extensive)
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