Fabrication, Characterization, and Evaluation of Eggshells as a Carrier for Sustainable Slow-Release Multi-Nutrient...

Development of environment-friendly fertilizers to adhere to the sustainability in agronomic practices and to overcome the limitations posed by the conventional fertilizers has been an important challenge. In this study, a cost-effective biowaste eggshell (ES) material was utilized as a sustainable support for eco-friendly slow-release multi-nutrient fertilizers (SMFs) by simple impregnation of micro- and macronutrients. The synthesized multi-nutrient composite was characterized by various characterization techniques. The leaching tests were conducted using simulated soil solutions and tap water, which showed slow and steady release patterns of the impregnated nutrients. Also, the water holding and water retention capacity of soil were improved upon addition of ES-SMF. Further, the results of pot experiments showed enhanced plant growth of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings that proved the efficiency of ES-SMF to serve as an environment-friendly fertilizer in agriculture to attain sustainability.