Schwingel Henn Guilherme, Schmitz Caroline, Fontana Liliana Berté, Corrêa Heloisa Vieceli Nunes, Lehn Daniel Neutzling, Volken de Souza Claucia Fernanda
Laboratory of Food Biotechnology, University of Vale do Taquari, Lajeado, ZC, RS 95914-014, Brazil.
Graduate Program in Biotechnology, University of Vale do Taquari, Lajeado, ZC, RS 95914-014, Brazil.
ACS Polym Au. 2025 Jun 11;5(4):325-342. doi: 10.1021/acspolymersau.5c00019. eCollection 2025 Aug 13.
This review aims to elucidate the relationship between hydrogel composition and water absorption capacity, with a focus on biobased hydrogels, the influence of their constituents on water absorption, and their relevance to agricultural applications. The most frequently used biopolymers are cellulose, starch, chitosan/chitin, and alginate, all of which are derivable from agroindustrial waste, offering sustainable and environmentally friendly sourcing. These polymers possess a high amount of hydrophilic functional groups, enhancing their affinity for water and enabling the formation of highly absorbent hydrogels. Cross-linking agents further affect the hydrogel's swelling capacity by altering the number of available hydrophilic groups. Among them, ,'-methylenebis-(acrylamide) is the most prevalent due to its ability to form stable networks, favoring high water absorption. However, concerns persist regarding their persistence in soil and potential environmental toxicity upon degradation. Citric acid has emerged as a promising alternative, reflecting a shift toward environmentally safer strategies. Beyond water absorption and retention, hydrogels exhibit potential as carriers for fertilizers and bioactive compounds, enabling the controlled release and availability in soil. A few studies included in this review have explored the incorporation of beneficial microorganisms, such as , , and , into hydrogel matrices, offering a clean and effective approach for agricultural enhancement that remains underexplored. This review highlights the connection between hydrogel composition and water absorption properties, identifying ecofriendly alternatives for hydrogel synthesis and applications in agriculture. It also reveals gaps in the development of sustainable, efficient hydrogels that could contribute to more environmentally friendly practices.
本综述旨在阐明水凝胶组成与吸水能力之间的关系，重点关注生物基水凝胶、其成分对吸水的影响及其与农业应用的相关性。最常用的生物聚合物是纤维素、淀粉、壳聚糖/甲壳素和藻酸盐，所有这些都可从农用工业废料中获得，提供了可持续且环保的来源。这些聚合物含有大量亲水性官能团，增强了它们对水的亲和力，并能够形成高吸水性水凝胶。交联剂通过改变可用亲水性基团的数量进一步影响水凝胶的溶胀能力。其中，N,N'-亚甲基双丙烯酰胺最为普遍，因为它能够形成稳定的网络，有利于高吸水性。然而，人们对它们在土壤中的持久性以及降解时潜在的环境毒性仍存在担忧。柠檬酸已成为一种有前景的替代品，反映了向环境更安全策略的转变。除了吸水和保水外，水凝胶还具有作为肥料和生物活性化合物载体的潜力，能够在土壤中实现控释和有效性。本综述中纳入的一些研究探讨了将有益微生物，如根瘤菌、芽孢杆菌和假单胞菌，纳入水凝胶基质，提供了一种清洁且有效的农业增产方法，但仍未得到充分探索。本综述强调了水凝胶组成与吸水性能之间的联系，确定了水凝胶合成及农业应用中的生态友好替代品。它还揭示了可持续、高效水凝胶开发方面的差距，这些差距可能有助于实现更环保的做法。
