Fertilizer Industry Research Articles

The Lac à l'Orignal phosphate deposit and constraints on high-quality phosphatic ore in massif-type anorthosite, Grenville Province, Canada

Phosphate is an indispensable component in the fertilizer industry. It has recently become a critical part of the green energy transition because of the demand for lithium ferro phosphate in rechargeable batteries. A significant amount of phosphate ore (∼90 %) is globally produced from sedimentary rocks. High-quality phosphate ore containing low amounts of toxic elements, however, is mostly produced from igneous carbonatite.The Lac à l'Orignal deposit (∼1069–993 Ma), Canada, in the central Grenville Province, contains a large amount of fluorapatite (≤ 20 %) hosted in oxide-bearing norite-gabbronorite-anorthosite layered intrusions. The deposit is hosted in the Vanel Anorthosite (1080 ± 2 Ma) near the northern border of the Mattawa Anorthosite (1016 ± 2 Ma). The major host rock oxide-apatite-gabbronorite (OAGN) is primarily composed of plagioclase, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, fluorapatite, ilmenite, and magnetite. The Al contents of the OAGN orthopyroxene indicate that the magmatic deposit was emplaced at mid-low crustal levels (∼2.0–3.6 kbar) and reverse zoning in the OAGN plagioclase suggests <2.5 kbar of pressure change during their crystallization. An overall increase of REE + Y concentrations in the OAGN fluorapatite with decreasing their fluorapatite contents indicates that the magma went through fractional crystallization. This study suggests that high abundances (ca. > 8 %) of fluorapatite in some OAGN were produced from crystal avalanching after initial crystal settling. Antithetic correlation between the Cl content of fluorapatite and the Mg# [Mg/(Mg + Fe2+)] of coexisting orthopyroxene suggests that phosphate ores with low Cl contents are expected for OAGN that formed at the initial stages of magma crystallization. Therefore, the Mg# of the OAGN orthopyroxene provides an exploration tool for targeting phosphate ore with low Cl content, which is preferred in the production of phosphoric acid, a major intermediate feedstock for the fertilizer and green energy industries. Apatite contents in carbonatite and average P2O5 content in carbonatite melt are generally similar to those of the Lac à l'Orignal OAGN. The average concentrations of REE, and toxic metals, such as Pb, Th, and U, in the OAGN fluorapatite are, however, lower than those in apatite from carbonatite worldwide. Therefore, the apatite of the OAGN appears to be of high quality and more environmentally-friendly as a source of phosphate ore.

Soil Fertility, Fertilizers, and Crop Nutrition: Past, Present, and Future

AbstractOver the past few decades, the North American fertilizer sector has experienced significant transformations, integrating into the global supply chain, which is pivotal for sustaining an abundant source of food, fiber, and energy. While the fundamental fertilizer products containing N, P, K, and S have remained largely unchanged, common fertilizers have evolved into agricultural commodities that are extensively traded on a global scale. Consequently, farmers often lack visibility into the origins of the fertilizers used for their crops. The role of the modern plant nutrient industry is essential for feeding a hungry world and preventing degradation of vital soil resources. There is growing awareness of the need for enhanced nutrient stewardship to meet local, regional, and global concerns. This is the second article in a three‐part series on the past, present, and future of the North American fertilizer industry. Earn 1.5 CEUs in Nutrient Management by reading this article and taking the quiz at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning‐Center/Courses.

Feeding Our Food; Starving Our Environment

For thousands of years, farmers have utilized organic soil additives to enhance their crop yields and livelihoods. Today, modern agriculture largely relies on synthetic fertilizers to produce enough crops to supply our global population and its competitive markets. While these fertilizers successfully increase crop production, previous research has proven that they perpetuate long-term environmental and human health risks. My goal is to examine how human-environment relationships with fertilizers have changed over time and how capitalism influences the socio-environmental impact of synthetic fertilizers on our world today. Through the Institutions and Commons lens, I examine how fertilizer-related pollution and limited fertilizer regulations pose significant risks to the environmental commons of society and to the health of communities. Additionally, I utilize the Political Economy perspective to examine how capitalistic greed in the fertilizer industry has significantly contributed to global warming, overproduction of resources, and an altered human perception of nature as a whole. While there are advantages of synthetic soil-enhancement technologies, it is clear that more stringent agricultural regulations and responsibility measures are needed to minimize the negative long-term consequences of synthetic fertilizer use in modern farming practices.

Causes of Delay in EPC Projects: The Case of Indonesia

The construction industry is a significant part of the economy in developing countries. During Indonesia's 2010-2020 period, many large-scale EPC projects were launched to build new plants and infrastructure facilities. However, most of these projects experienced delays. This research aims to identify the causes of delays in EPC projects in Indonesia. It also investigates whether specific characteristics of EPC projects within the fertilizer industry in Indonesia, particularly those associated with state-owned companies, contribute to these delays. Data was collected through questionnaires with samples from company construction experts involved in EPC projects consisting of 41 owners, 14 contractors, and 12 consultants. The Relative Importance Index (RII) was subsequently computed, revealing the top ten delay causes for EPC projects in Indonesia based on the highest RII values consisting of delays in procuring equipment/materials, contractor difficulties in funding the project, ineffective project planning and scheduling, the winner of the tender is the lowest bidder, rework due to errors during construction, poor communication and coordination between parties involved in the project, delays in the work of design, disputes in understanding the EPC contract and project specification, unrealistic the duration of the project and delays in the owner's decision. Comparison of delay factors with other developing countries in Asia and Africa shows similarities. Notably, among these categories, contractor-related factors demonstrated the highest RII values. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient shows that all respondents highly agreed with the individual ranking of delay factors.

Compressive strength assessment bricks manufactured with Phosphogypsum in different dosages

This research studies soil-compacted bricks using Phosphogypsum (PG) in their dosage. PG is the subproduct of the primary raw material used by the fertilizer industry, and its disposal is a challenge for the industry because of its large generation. Laboratory tests were performed to assess these bricks' physical characteristics. To obtain the bricks, two dosages were used: 4 and 7% of Phosphogypsum (PG) concentration. Bricks with no Phosphogypsum (PG) in their mixture were also assessed as a benchmark. The brick's physical characteristics were obtained for non-fired and fired bricks (900ºC for 96 hours in the oven). The results of the laboratory tests were analyzed through statistical analysis to explore the differences between the means for each studied condition (dosage and drying method). Furthermore, there was no statistical difference between the compressive strength of bricks manufactured with 4 and 0% PG, pointing out that until this percentage, the studied bricks did not show strength reduction with PG increasing. The fired bricks showed higher strength for all dosages than the non-fired ones. However, according to the Brazilian Technical Standards, all studied bricks presented enough strength for regular construction. Phosphogypsum (PG) for brick manufacturing can be an alternative way for its disposal, which can help mitigate the civil construction environmental impacts.

Air Pollution Tolerance of Several Species of Trees in the Petrochemical Industry Area Using Air Polution Tollerance Index (APTI) Method

The petrochemical industry is fertilizer industry factories whose production can have an impact on air quality. The industrial area has decreased environmental quality caused by air pollution. Air pollution comes from factory activities as well as motor vehicle fumes and forest burning. The decline in air quality is characterized by the accumulation of pollutant particles in the air. Spesies tree planting in the Petrochemical industry area aims to reduce air pollution. Trees that are able to withstand air pollution stress conditions are categorized as tolerant species. This study aims to determine the tolerance to air pollution by analyzing the Air Pollution Tolerance Index (APTI). Determination of the sampling is done by convinience sampling method with several sample criteria. The results showed that the APTI value of Filicium decipiens Wieght &amp; Arn. (Fern Leaf Tree) was 5.08, Swietenia macrophylla King (Baywood) 5.62 and Mimusops elengi L. (Spanish Cherry) 5.93. This study shows that in the Petrochemical industry area, F. decipiens is categorized as a sensitive species, while S. macrophylla and M. elengi are categorized as moderately tolerant to air pollution based on tolerance category in Thakar and Mishra (2010).

Sorption capacity of Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms for zinc removal from electroplating industry wastewater.

Various industrial operations in the dye, fertilizer, pesticide, battery, mining, and chemical industries have been associated with releasing heavy metals in wastewater, such as lead, zinc, copper, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, and mercury. These metals are dangerous to aquatic life as well as to humans, who may consume them directly or indirectly. Therefore, before being released into open water and land resources, it is necessary to minimize the concentration of toxic ions below the discharge limit. This study used Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms to remove zinc from wastewater from the electroplating industry in a constructed wetland. Experimental investigations were conducted for removing zinc ions from electroplating industry wastewater using various process parameters such as nutrient dosages, dilution ratios, potential of hydrogen ions, biomasses, and contact times. The outcome of this study revealed that the maximum zinc removal percentage in electroplating industrial wastewater was found for the optimum nutrient dosages of 60g, dilution ratios of 10, potential hydrogen ion levels of 8, and biomass amounts of 100g. The maximum zinc removal by Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms was found to be 88.3 ± 0.6 and 93.4 ± 0.4% at the optimum parameter values for the electroplating industry wastewater and the aqueous solution, respectively, against the optimum contact time of 22days. This study suggests using this phytoremediation technology to remove all pollutants from industrial wastewater in general, not just wastewater from the electroplating industry.

Smoothing the Phosphorus Resource Stress under the Socioeconomic Development in China.

Phosphorus (P) is the key in maintaining food security and ecosystem functions. Population growth and economic development have increased the demand for phosphate rocks. China has gradually developed from zero phosphate mining to the world's leading P miner, fertilizer, and agricultural producer since 1949. China released policies, such as designating phosphate rock as a strategic resource, promoting eco-agricultural policies, and encouraging the use of solid wastes produced in mining and the phosphorus chemical industry as construction materials. However, methodological and data gaps remain in the mapping of the long-term effects of policies on P resource efficiency. Here, P resource efficiency can be represented by the potential of the P cycle to concentrate or dilute P as assessed by substance flow analysis (SFA) complemented by statistical entropy analysis (SEA). P-flow quantification over the past 70 years in China revealed that both resource utilization and waste generation peaked around 2015, with 20 and 11 Mt of mined and wasted P, respectively. Additionally, rapidly increasing aquaculture wastewater has exacerbated pollution. The resource efficiency of the Chinese P cycle showed a U-shaped change with an overall improvement of 22.7%, except for a temporary trough in 1975. The driving force behind the efficiency decline was the roaring phosphate fertilizer industry, as confirmed by the sharp increase in P flows for both resource utilization and waste generation from the mid-1960s to 1975. The positive driving forces behind the 30.7% efficiency increase from 1975 to 2018 were the implementation of the resource conservation policy, downstream pollution control, and, especially, the circular agro-food system strategy. However, not all current management practices improve the P resource efficiency. Mixing P industry waste with construction materials and the development of aquaculture to complement offshore fisheries erode P resource efficiency by 2.12% and 9.19%, respectively. With the promotion of a zero-waste society in China, effective P-cycle management is expected.

Research on the Impact of Anhui Province's Green Credit Policy on Green Innovation of Heavy Polluting Enterprises

In 2012, the country issued the "Green Credit Guidelines" in order to restrict the loan scale of high polluting and high emission enterprises through financial means, and force enterprises to carry out environmental governance and achieve environmental protection. On the basis of theoretical analysis of the impact mechanism of green credit policies on corporate innovation, this article constructs a double difference model using data from manufacturing listed companies in the Shanghai and Shenzhen A-shares from 2007 to 2018, and conducts a series of robustness tests and heterogeneity analysis to examine the causal relationship between the two. On this basis, taking Anhui SIERTE Fertilizer Industry Co., Ltd. as a case study, further reveals the internal mechanism between the two.

RAW MATERIAL BASE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS IN GEORGIA

For the full functioning of agriculture a significant place is occupied by its provision of fertilizers. The development of the chemical industry in the world has driven the development of production of minerals and especiatly nitrogen fertilizers. Similar situation in Georgia. 99% of the fertilizers produced in the country is nitrogen fertilizers. As for phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, they are almost not produced in the country and the need for them is met by imported products. Analisis of mineral resources of Georgia shows that the country has sulficient resources for the development of the fertilizers industry. The resources base of phosphorites is being considered, its geological existing estimates are being considered and the necessary additional research is being considered in order to develop new technological solutions the development of the production of phosphorus and complex fertilizers. Keywords: Fosforite, Fertilizers, Production, Rav material, Ore, Industry.

Sustainable transition in the fertilizer industry: alternative routes to low-carbon fertilizer production

Sustainable transition in the fertilizer industry: alternative routes to low-carbon fertilizer production

Contemporary Agricultural Land Management Practices under Climate Change and Population Increase Scenarios: Insights from Tanzania’s Southern Highlands

This study investigated the impact of population growth and climate change on land management practices. The study was conducted in Mbinga district located in the Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Quantitative and qualitative research approaches were employed. Research data were collected using structured questionnaires, in-depth interviews, physical observation, focus group discussions and literature review. A total of 267 household heads were selected for this study. Also, the study used climate data from Tanzania Meteorological Authority, temperature and rainfall data over the past 40 years were collected (1981-2021). The findings revealed that, the area has experienced increased population and climate change incidences. The trend line for both minimum and maximum temperatures indicate a substantial increased trends at (P= 0.0018, R2=0.0005; P=0.0176, R2=0.02359) respectively. Contrariwise, the area has experienced decrease in rainfall totals at (P= 0.4385, R2=0.0008). It was revealed that, various traditional methods of land management practices including the use of animal manures, mulching, fallowing and the use of crop residues were affected by population increase and climate change. Farmers adopted new agricultural practices including the use of industrial fertilizers and reducing the size of contour terraces as the coping strategies for agricultural production against environmental deterioration caused by population increase and climate change. However, the sustainability of such practices is uncertain due to continued population increase and climate change scenarios. Therefore, the study recommends for introduction of sustainable land management practices that would instigate for sustainable food production for the changing population.

Advancements in Green Ammonia Production and Utilisation Technologies

Green ammonia, produced through renewable energy-powered electrochemical and thermal processes, is emerging as a promising candidate to replace fossil fuel-based ammonia in the fertiliser, transportation and energy sectors. This paper provides an overview of the production methods, utilisation methods and technological advancements for green ammonia. The electrochemical production and Haber-Bosch with renewable hydrogen and energy are discussed in detail highlighting recent material advances. Green ammonia utilisation methods are discussed with direct use cases such as ammonia combustion and direct ammonia fuel cells examined. Green ammonia’s potential as a carbon-free hydrogen carrier is also discussed in regards to ammonia cracking for effective hydrogen recovery. This paper concludes that green ammonia has the potential to play a significant role in the transition to a sustainable energy system and offers new opportunities for the fertiliser, transportation and energy industries.

Site properties, environmental factors, and crop identify influence soil bacterial communities more than municipal biosolid application

Reducing the environmental impact of Canadian field crop agriculture, including the reliance on conventional synthesised fertilisers, are key societal targets for establishing long-term sustainable practices. Municipal biosolids (MSB) are an abundant, residual organic material, rich in phosphate, nitrogen and other oligo-nutrients, that could be used in conjunction with conventional fertilisers to decrease their use. Though MBS have previously been shown to be an effective fertiliser substitute for different crops, including corn and soybean, there remain key knowledge gaps concerning the impact of MBS on the resident soil bacterial communities in agro-ecosystems. We hypothesised that the MBS fertiliser amendment would not significantly impact the structure or function of the soil bacterial communities, nor contribute to the spread of human pathogenic bacteria, in corn or soybean agricultural systems. In field experiments, fertiliser regimes for both crops were amended with MBS, and compared to corn and soybean plots with standard fertiliser treatments. We repeated this across four different agricultural sites in Quebec, over 2021 and 2022. We sampled MBS-treated, and untreated soils, and identified the composition of the soil bacterial communities via 16S rRNA metabarcoding. We found no indication that the MBS fertiliser amendment altered the structure of the soil bacterial communities, but rather that the soil type and crop identities were the most significant factors in structuring the bacterial communities. Moreover, there was no evidence that the MBS-treated soils were enriched in potential human bacterial pathogens over the two years of our study. Our analysis indicates that not only can MBS function as substitutes for conventional, synthesised fertilisers, but that they also do not disrupt the structure of the resident soil bacterial communities in the short term. Finally, we suggest that the use of MBS in agro-ecosystems poses no greater concern to the public than existing soil bacterial communities. This highlights the significant role MBS could potentially have in reducing the use of conventional industrial fertilisers and improving agricultural production, without risking environmental contamination.

“Being useful, I think it's the result of a sick society”: Critical reflections on reproductive politics and markets by women freezing their eggs in Spain

AbstractThis piece analyzes the way in which women that froze, are considering freezing or are freezing their eggs in Spain think critically about broader reproductive politics in Spain and about assisted reproduction. Drawing partially on previous studies around egg freezing, Thomas Lemke has suggested that cryopreservation practices represent a “politics of suspension” characterized by both reversibility and disposition, and concomitant with broader political inaction (Lemke in Sci Technol Hum Values 48(4):1–27, 2021). Drawing on feminist literature, and on how some of these women think about motherhood, it is relevant to emphasize this ‘suspension of politics’ that takes place along with a “politics of suspension,” meaning that certain matters (such as reproduction and its postponement) are only to be dealt with privately and individually, through marketized fertility preservation programs in this case. Some of the women interviewed describe these programs as useful tools within a problematic context: technologies that give time in a context that leaves them on their own to figure out motherhood (or its absence) in the midst of uncertainty and loneliness. This paper shows their critical views on these matters, while reflecting on how their experiences and desires become increasingly imbricated with the fertility industry in the making of their reproductive biographies (Perler and Schurr in Body Soc 27(3): 3–27, 2021).

Long-term continuous ammonia electrosynthesis.

Ammonia is crucial as a fertilizer and in the chemical industry and is considered to be a carbon-free fuel1. Ammonia electrosynthesis from nitrogen under ambient conditions offers an attractive alternative to the Haber-Bosch process2,3, and lithium-mediated nitrogen reduction represents a promising approach to continuous-flow ammonia electrosynthesis, coupling nitrogen reduction with hydrogen oxidation4. However, tetrahydrofuran, which is commonly used as a solvent, impedes long-term ammonia production owing to polymerization and volatility problems. Here we show that a chain-ether-based electrolyte enables long-term continuous ammonia synthesis. We find that a chain-ether-based solvent exhibits non-polymerization properties and a high boiling point (162 °C) and forms a compact solid-electrolyte interphase layer on the gas diffusion electrode, facilitating ammonia release in the gas phase and ensuring electrolyte stability. We demonstrate 300 h of continuous operation in a flow electrolyser with a 25 cm2 electrode at 1 bar pressure and room temperature, and achieve a current-to-ammonia efficiency of 64 ± 1% with a gas-phase ammonia content of approximately 98%. Our results highlight the crucial role of the solvent in long-term continuous ammonia synthesis.

Synergistic role of agriculture production, fertilizer use, tourism, and renewable energy on CO2 emissions in South Asia: A static and dynamic analysis

The most crucial industries for growth, particularly in developing countries, are agriculture, tourism, and the fertilizer industry. These businesses are also linked to environmental deterioration. The current study uses empirical research to inspect the links between carbon dioxide (CO2) secretions and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) progression, government expenditure, tourism, fertilizer usage, renewable and non-renewable energies, and agricultural production. Information commencing from six South Asian nations is used to produce the findings between 1991 and 2019. Following the establishment of stationary and cointegration, a static analysis using a Fixed Effect and Random Effect Model and a dynamic analysis using a One Step Difference and System GMM (Generalized Method of Moments) are performed. This article employs Mean Group (MG) and Augmented Mean Group (AMG) approaches to increase robustness, while multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, autocorrelation, and Cross-Sectional Dependency (CSD) are used for post-estimation. According to the study, the selected South Asian region's agricultural, fertilizer use, non-renewable energy use, tourism, GDP growth, and government spending all result in a rise in CO2 emissions, while using clean energy reduces those emissions and is crucial to reducing those emissions. The study offers some policy ramifications concerning green farming and tourism.

Green Ammonia Production in Stochastic Power Markets

Real assets in the energy market are subject to ecological uncertainty due to the penetration of renewables. We illustrate this point by analyzing electrolyzers, a class of assets that recently became the subject of large interest, as they lead to the production of the desirable green hydrogen and green ammonia. The latter has the advantage of being easily stored and has huge potential in decarbonizing both the fertilizer and shipping industries. We consider the optimization of green ammonia production with different types of electricity procurement in the context of stochastic power and ammonia markets, a necessary assumption to translate the features of renewable, hence intermittent, electricity. We emphasize the importance of using stochastic prices to model the volatile nature of the price dynamics effectively, illustrating the project risks that hedging activities can mitigate. This study shows the pivotal role of flexibility when dealing with fluctuating renewable production and volatile electricity prices to maximize profits and better manage risks.

Microbiome comparisons reveal the core microorganisms and key nitrogen metabolic pathway involved in industrial nitrogen fertilizer wastewater treatment plants

Microbiomes from municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been widely investigated, but less attention has been paid to those in the industrial WWTPs. To compare the microbiomes involved in nitrogen fertilizer wastewater treatment, four WWTPs with different concentrations and types of pollutants, processes, and geographic locations were chosen. Diversity results revealed that microbial community was similar within the same WWTP, but different among the four WWTPs. CPCoA further demonstrated these differences (P = 0.022), implying that the diverse manufactured products acted as electron donors to create distinct ecological niches for denitrification. However, bacterial composition and functional profile were similar among four WWTPs (P > 0.05), and their abundance differed and fluctuated. More than 80 % of the dominant genera detected were present in all four WWTPs. And the core bacteria identified were Hyphomicrobium, Acinetobacter, Pedomicrobium, Methyloversatilis, Gp16, Thauera, and Moorella respectively, accounting for 19.524 % of total bacterial abundance. Forty-five nitrogen metabolism genes were active in four nitrogen cycle pathways (nitrification, assimilatory nitrate reduction, dissimilatory nitrate reduction, denitrification). The key genes were amoC (0.30 %), nasA (5.35 %), nirA (2.17 %), nirB (6.04 %), nirD (5.82 %), narG (3.87 %), narH (4.65 %), nirK (3.90 %), norB (3.32 %), nosZ (2.80 %). Hyphomicrobium, Thauera, Afipia, and Paracocccus were the hosts of denitrification genes, synergistically treating the nitrogen fertilizer wastewater to meet the discharge standard. These results suggested that microbial community structure in the nitrogen fertilizer industry is similar, helping further the understanding of the microbiota at an industry level though more samples are required to verify this.

Toward Agricultural Resilience: Analyzing Brazil&amp;apos;s National Fertilizer Plan

This study aimed to analyze the National Fertilizer Plan presented by the Brazilian government, with the goal of developing and expanding the sector, given the prominent role of the country as a significant food producer, facing significant challenges in this domain. The research was conducted through bibliographic reviews and a qualitative approach to the subject. The results indicate that, due to the current scenario in the fertilizer sector in Brazil, a policy of this magnitude is not only timely but also crucial. The plan is based on important guidelines such as modernizing the sector, investing in the fertilizer chain, promoting competitiveness for Brazilian products, robustly investing in science, technology, and development, and improving the logistics environment for the fertilizer chain. Additionally, it is noteworthy that the presented plan exhibits robustness by conscientiously addressing environmental sustainability. It aspires not only to modernize the Brazilian fertilizer industry but also to expand domestic production, accompanied by substantial investments in research, development, and innovation. The plan outlines goals and actions to be implemented by 2050; however, it is imperative that these objectives be closely monitored and periodically reviewed to ensure the success of the initiative. In summary, it can be asserted that the National Fertilizer Plan represents a significant step toward a more resilient, sustainable, and productive Brazilian agriculture.