Surfactant-modified zeolite as a slow release fertilizer for phosphorus

The feasibility of using surfactant-modified zeolite (SMZ) as a carrier for fertilizer and for slow release of phosphorus (P) was investigated. Zeolite-A was modified by using hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide, a cationic surfactant, to modify its surface to increase its capacity to retain anion, namely, phosphate (PO4(3-)). SMZ was thoroughly characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, and scanning electron microscopy to study the effect of surfactant modification. Zeolite-A and SMZ were then subjected to P loading by treating them with fertilizer (KH2PO4). It was observed that the P loading on SMZ increased by a factor of 4.9 as compared to the unmodified zeolite-A. A comparative study of the release of P from fertilizer-loaded unmodified zeolite-A and SMZ and from solid KH2PO4 was performed using the constant flow percolation reactor. The results show that the P supply from fertilizer-loaded SMZ was available even after 1080 h of continuous percolation, whereas P from KH2PO4 was exhausted within 264 h. The results indicate that SMZ is a good sorbent for PO4(3-), and a slow release of P was achievable. These properties suggest that SMZ has a great potential as the fertilizer carrier for slow release of P.