Biodegradable Hydrogel Promises to Transform Fertiliser Use and Boost Sustainable Farming

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• Scientists have developed a biodegradable hydrogel that slowly releases nutrients, reducing fertiliser waste and preventing harmful chemical runoff into soil and waterways.
• The hydrogel improves soil moisture retention, enhancing crop resilience in drought-prone areas while supporting microbial activity for healthier soils.
• By minimising nutrient loss and improving absorption rates, farmers can achieve higher yields with lower fertiliser input, cutting overall production costs.
• This innovation aligns with global efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, offering an environmentally safe alternative to synthetic fertiliser practices.

Researchers at the University of Limerick’s Stokes Laboratories have created a biodegradable hydrogel that could dramatically change how fertilisers are used, offering a more sustainable and efficient approach to crop production.

Led by Abrar Ali Khan, the team developed a dual crosslinked hydrogel made from polyvinyl alcohol, chitosan, and aminated lignin, capable of encapsulating struvite, a slow release phosphate fertiliser.

The global drive to increase food output has fuelled heavy fertiliser use, draining freshwater supplies and harming ecosystems.

This new hydrogel seeks to tackle those issues by releasing nutrients gradually, improving efficiency and reducing waste. “Our research highlights lignin based hydrogels as eco-friendly platforms for nutrient-efficient fertiliser delivery,” said Khan. “It’s a step towards genuinely sustainable agriculture.”

The team used a range of analytical methods: FTIR, SEM, XRD, and TGA, to test the hydrogel’s structure and performance. The material showed impressive water retention, swelling up to 706 ± 20.7%, while encapsulating struvite made the matrix denser and more efficient at nutrient storage.

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Tests in acidic conditions (pH 3.3) showed a sustained phosphate release over six to seven days, confirming controlled and diffusion driven nutrient delivery.

Published in Global Challenges, the research could reshape how the farming industry manages fertiliser use. By incorporating lignin, a byproduct of the paper and pulp industry, the innovation also offers an economic advantage turning industrial waste into a valuable agricultural tool.

Beyond agriculture, the findings have wider implications for energy and environmental sustainability.

Controlled nutrient release means less water and energy are wasted, cutting agriculture’s carbon footprint. As Khan notes, “Innovations like this bring us closer to a future where farming supports the planet as much as it feeds it.”