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Tiny glass fertilizer beads could keep nutrients in the soil and out of the water
Crop fertilizers are a major source of pollution, as the chemicals make their way out of the soil and into the natural environment. Scientists are now working on a possible solution to that problem, by developing a sustained-release fertilizer that takes the form of tiny glass beads.
In ecotoxicity tests performed on lettuce and onion seeds, the glass particles weren't found to have any effect on germination rates or cell health as compared to traditional fertilizers. A paper on the current study, which is being led by the University of São Paulo's José Hermeson da Silva Soares, was recently published in the journal ACS Agricultural Science & Technology. An experienced freelance writer, he previously obtained an English BA from the University of Saskatchewan, then spent over 20 years working in various markets as a television reporter, producer and news videographer.
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