Attapulgite (ATP), as a fertilizer slow-release agent and soil conditioner, has shown remarkable effect in improving the utilization rate of fertilizer and the yield and quality of agricultural products and Chinese medicinal materials. This study aims to explore the effect of ATP on the growth and root quality of Angelica sinensis. .... The results showed that ATP, via the fertilizer slow-release effect, could meet the needs of A. sinensis for nutrients at the root expansion stage, improve the net photosynthetic rate of leaves and aboveground biomass of plants, and promote the transfer and accumulation of nutrients from the aboveground part(source) to the underground root(sink) in advance during the dry matter accumulation period of roots, so as to improve the root weight per plant....

ATP had certain influence on soil respiration, which needs to be further explored from root activity, rhizosphere microorganisms, and soil microorganisms. This study can lay a basis for soil remediation and improvement and ecological cultivation of A. sinensis.

Looking to nurture the microbe life beneath your crops? and the benefits that flow into the food source that follows...

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The human microbiome has received a huge research focus in recent years and there is a growing reverence for its importance in every aspect of our health and resilience. The 100 trillion organisms within our 30 ft digestive tract impact everything from immunity to brain health.

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Soil nutrients is critical in ensuring continued nutrients in foods grown in these soils. which has flow on effects to our health and well being.

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The critical question is “how do we look after them?, and the starting point is  to reduce the collateral damage associated with diet and lifestyle .

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Antibiotics, chemical pesticides and toxic insecticides,, are particularly destructive as they are non selective and they often remove the good with the bad

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In fact, some experts are claiming that we need to supplement with a probiotic for six months, just to reclaim our original gut-life integrity, after a single course of antibiotics.

Food grade stabilizers  are the second most destructive culprits. They are often included in processed food to kill single celled spoilage organisms to extend shelf-life. Why would  we think that these biocides and other chemical additives stop working as our child shovels down the cornflakes or potato chips. Just Google “the impact of butylated hydroxytoluene on beneficial gut microbes’, as an example of problems with food additives.

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There are other players that create dysbiosis or imbalance in your gut microbiome, including prescription drugs like proton pump inhibitors and the birth control pill. Stress is also harsh on gut-life, and most of us are awash with worry within this strange world we have created.

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One way we can counter these various assaults on all-important gut life is to regularly replenish the numbers and diversity of our life within, via the consumption of fermented food.

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There is no accident that the longest living peoples on the planet consume lacto-fermented food on a daily basis.

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Aside from the obvious benefits of replenishing the workforce, there are also the benefits of the enhanced nutrition found in fermented food. In fact, nutritionists claim that all of the phytonutrients, including vitamins, antioxidants and amino acids, are up to 5 times more readily utilized once they have been processed by the fermenting organisms.

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Diatomaceous earth is known to be high in silica and when processed to a food grade, good for gut health with anti-inflammatory benefits. Together with attapulgite clay, there is immense potential to improve sandy soils, soil erosion and increased nutrients into our soils.

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Auper productive bacillus species on the farm helps create your own living fertiliser.

Traditional commercial farming rely on the ease of chemical pesticides, unaware of the benefits and cost-effectiveness of the natural pest control solutions of Diatomaceous earth and the soil enhancement properties of attapulgite clay. Understanding the productive and protective potential of these organisms, assists for us all to consider our agriculture and farming practices.

Bacillus organisms are a tailor-made, specialised, workforce that can help compensate for the extra challenges associated with climate change farming. They are particularly hardy, so that they can handle heat, salt, drought and other abiotic stresses more ably than most other organisms. This makes them super competitive in the root zone, where they can continue to thrive for the full crop cycle. During that plant partnership, these bacillus strains can fix nitrogen, solubilise locked-up phosphate, counter disease and boost plant immunity. All five of these specialists can also produce chitinase, which provides significant protection against both disease and insect pests.

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Diatomaceous earth assists in 100% pest control by dehydrating pests without potential for building chemical resistance in pests going forward. Additionally, there is plant growth benefits with plant available silica benefits.

Attapulgite clay is an effective soil amender, with moisture retention properties assisting in sandy soils.

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To trial our Diatomaceous earth and Attapulgite clay, contact us.

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The clay attapulgite, also known as palygorskite, is a natural nonmetal clay mineral (Fig. 1). It has a fibrous reticular structure with many nanoscale channels giving it unique physical and chemical properties, such as a large specific surface area, adsorption, suspension, slow releasing, disper- sion, ion-exchanging, water adsorption and retention, and low specific gravity (2.0 – 2.3 g cm − 3 ). Attapulgite is sticky and plastic when wet and when drying shows little shrinkage (Murray 2000; Ye et al. 2013). Attapulgite contains a small amount of elements including Si, Al, Mg, Fe, K, Ca, and Mn and so is expected to be a source of many microelements (Xie et al. 2010). Studies have shown that attapulgite combined with compound fertilizer increases crop yields (Yang et al. 2010). Attapulgite has rich reserves, low price, and is environmentally friendly and so is believed to be the most feasible coating material for slow-release compound fertilizers. The use of coated, compound fertilizers in accordance with the nutrient demands of crop plants at different growth stages can ensure the crop has sufficient amounts of nutrients throughout its whole growth stage. This would greatly improve crop yield, reduce the waste of fertilizers, and lower production costs. Maize ( Zea mays L.) is a crop requiring a large amount of fertilizer to meet the needs of plant growth. In the present study, we prepared attapulgite-coated fertilizers (ACF) by dividing chemical fertilizers into three applications according to the nutrient demands of maize plants in different growth stages, with each part of the fertilizer coated with a layer of attapulgite. Our objective was to determine (1) whether the ACF had a slow-release effect and (2) its impact on crop yield and fertilizer use efficiency in maize. We hypothesized that ACF would significantly improve maize production because their slow release would meet the nutrient demand of maize during the whole growing ...

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Fertilizers are the major input in production of grain crops, but in many cases, the amounts of fertilizers applied to crops exceed the requirements of crop growth. Excessive use of N fertilizers leads to losses through leaching, volatilization, and denitrification. The majority of soils in China ’ s semiarid rain- fed agricultural areas are alkaline and calcareous (Zhang et al. 2006). When N fertilizers are applied to calcareous soils, there is inevitable ammonia volatilization, with N 2 O produced in the nitrification – denitrification processes contributing to global climate change. However, in irrigated areas, N fertilizers, when converted into nitrate or ammonium, often move below the root zone and cannot be absorbed by crop roots (Miao et al. 2010). 

The invention belongs to the technical field of a fertilizer, and concretely relates to an attapulgite mixing fertilizer having slow release effect, the attapulgite mixing fertilizer is prepared by using attapulgite ore. The attapulgite can use own surface activity, adsorptivity, catalysis performance, filtering effect, ion exchange effect, complexation effect and electrostatic interaction, a soil pH value can be adjusted by two items, and attapulgite can provides appropriate growth environment for crops. The attapulgite can change physical and chemical properties of the soil, reduces soil unit weight, promotes formation of a soil gel state, enhances soil permeability, absorbs harmful heavy metals in the soil, and inhibits insect disease; beneficial elements in the soil can be converted through chelating effect, nutrition balance is reached, crops growth is cooperated, output is increased, and agricultural product quality is improved.

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Use inorganic fertilizer in a large number unreasonably for a long time, destroy agricultural land soil structure gradually, change the physico-chemical property of soil, cause soil compaction and degeneration, the effect of increasing production of chemical fertilizer is more and more not obvious, thus cause the yield and quality of farm crop to decline, xenobiotic pollutants can enter animal and human's body by the circulation of water body, air and food chain, thus the health of harm people and animals, cause cancer or chronic disease etc.

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Natural pesticides are pesticides that come from natural sources—generally plant or mineral derivatives. Nicotine (extracted from tobacco), Pyrethrum (extracted from chrysanthemum flowers), and Rotenone (extracted from the tuber Derris elliptica) are plant-derived, while pesticides like Boric Acid, Cryolite, and Diatomaceous Earth are mineral-derived.

The active ingredients in Pyrethrum (Pyrethrin I and II and Cinerin I and II) are nonpolar, oily, and lipophilic. These insecticidal compounds are neurotoxins. Because the Pyrethrins are unstable in sunlight, synthetic derivatives (called Pyrethroids) have been developed, which find applications in agriculture and household products (Connell, 1997; Baird and Cann, 2005).

Rotenone is also a neurotoxin, and was initially identified (along with several related compounds) in a crude plant extract used by primitive people to paralyze fish. Poisoning by Rotenone in humans is rare, although adverse effects may be seen especially following oral and respiratory ingestion. It is unstable in sunlight, giving it a short environmental half-life. Toxicity is believed to be the result of Rotenone's inhibition of substrate oxidation in the NADH2 to NAD system, which is critical for nerve function (Vogue et al., 1994).

 Batch adsorption experiments were investigated to remove the radioactive isotope Cs-137 from the real radioactive wastewater. The attapulgite natural clay mineral was characterized and adopted as an adsorbent in a batch adsorption system. Equilibrium was reached after 2 h with a Cs-137 removal efficiency of 97% for attapulgite. The kinetics of Cs-137 adsorption on the attapulgite clay surface were evaluated. The pseudo-second-order kinetic model produced an excellent fit with the experimental kinetic data for attapulgite, indicating that attapulgite was the best adsorption medium.

Anoxic filtration is a system that has been developed and trialled over many years by Dr. Kevin Novac Ph.D.  Water clarity in pictures of ponds that are using it is amazing.  Not only will this system remove ammonia directly from pond water before it can be turned into nitrate, but it also has areas where friendly facultative bugs can live and remove any nitrate that has been produced by nitrogen cycle bugs elsewhere in the pond. The basis of the system is a 24 inch-deep pond, full of what are called Biocenosis Baskets. These baskets are nothing more complicated than a planting basket full of Kitty Litter [Attapulgite clay] with a volcanic material called Laterite poured into a depression in the centre. Some of the baskets must be planted, but all baskets may be planted, according to taste. Dr. Novak is an American, and Kitty Litter is a common American brand name.  In the UK, an equivalent is Fuller’s Earth.

The development of polymeric nanocomposites using clay minerals as a Nano filler is of great interest to researchers and industry.. this strategy improves the thermal and mechanical performance and changes the surface finishing and the processing characteristics. The Attapulgite  (ATP) has a large surface area, strong absorption capacity superior to any other natural mineral, good mechanical resistance and thermal stability. These properties make ATP an ideal candidate for reinforcing polymeric materials.

The most common means of reducing the particle size of solids is by grinding, a process which can affect the surface properties and the behavior of the solid in later stages (granulation, compaction, etc.), and which can influence the end-use properties of the final product. Inverse gas chromatography (IGC) measurements were used here to evaluate the influence of grinding, in a ball mill, on attapulgite. ....The stability of the surface energy with respect to the grinding process was seen to be related to the particular fibrous structure of the attapulgite clay.

Immobilized microorganisms especially bacteria are most used rather than free cells to be protected from the environmental conditions when being used for the bioremediation of environmental pollutants. Herein, two marine’s bacterial isolates were tested for their ability to decompose crude oil. The optimum conditions for effective bacterial degradation e.g., pH, temperature, and inoculum size were investigated. PVA-alginate-clay composite hydrogel beads with different types of incorporated mineral clays were prepared and tested as bacterial carrier for potential bioremediation. Results showed that... attapulgite clay-containing beads recorded maximum degradation% as 78.8 and 75% for both bacterial isolates, when added to immobilization matrices and these percentages could be enhanced under optimal conditions. 

Attapulgite (ATP) is a natural hydrophilic clay mineral known for its reactive -OH groups on the surface and having a layer chain like structure with exchangeable cations in its framework channel. It was reported by Zhu et al. [18] that modified hydrophobic ATP through cation exchange showed high absorption capacity and selectivity to organic solvents and oils owing to its mesoporous structure and hydrophobic treatment which allow it to be effectively applied for crude oil biodegradation issues. ...

A composite proton exchange membrane chitosan (CS)/attapulgite (ATP) was prepared with the organic–inorganic compounding of ATP and CS. The composite membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The mechanical properties, thermal stability, water uptake, and proton conductivity of the composite membranes were fully investigated. The composite membranes exhibited an enhanced mechanical property, dimensional and thermal stability compared to CS membrane, owing to the interface interaction between ATP and CS. The maximum tensile strength of 53.1 MPa and decomposition temperature of 223.4°C was obtained, respectively. More importantly, the proton conductivity of the composite membrane is also enhanced, the composite membrane with 4 wt% ATP content (CS/ATP‐4) exhibited the highest proton conductivity of 26.2 mS cm−1 at 80°C with 100% relative humidity, which is 25.1% higher than pure CS membrane. These results may explore a simple and green strategy to prepare CS‐based PEMs, which have a great potential in the application of proton exchange membrane fuel cells.

Pollution from heavy-metal ions has become a major challenge to the global fight against environmental pollution. Given the availability of various low-cost and environmentally friendly adsorbents, adsorption has become the most efficient technology for the removal of heavy metals from water. In this study, attapulgite (ATP) was directly functionalized by coupling with an aminosilane agent. Analysis showed this maneuver provided a suitable adsorbent for the removal of lead ion (Pb2+) from an aqueous solution. The effects of several parameters including solution pH, contacting time, adsorbent dosage, and initial Pb2+ ion concentration were investigated. Batch sorption results showed that the adsorption process was rapid and over 98% of Pb2+ was removed within 30 min at the optimal pH 4.0. The maximum adsorption capacity at 25°C, calculated by the Langmuir isotherm, was 82.17, 78.80, 61.13, and 28.56 mg/g for γ-divinyltriaminepropyl-methyldimethoxylsilane-grafted attapulgite (KH-103-ATP), γ-aminopropyl-methyldiethoxysilane-grafted attapulgite (KH-912-ATP), N-(β-aminoethyl-γ-aminopropyl)-methyl-dimethoxysilane-grafted attapulgite (KH-602-ATP), and ATP, respectively. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations of adsorption behaviors of heavy-metal ions at attapulgite surfaces (010) modified by aminosilane agents were carried out. Both the PMF value and diffusion coefficient of metal ions suggest that KH-103-ATP owns the highest rate constant and capacity compared with the other two. And the analysis of free energy and results of XPS characterization revealed that Pb2+ formed covalent bonds with the nitrogen atom of aminosilane agents.

​Heavy-metal contamination is widespread in agricultural soils worldwide, especially paddy soils contaminated by Cd. Amendment-induced immobilization of heavy metals is an attractive and effective technique, provided that cost-effective materials are used. This field experiment compared three alkaline passivators (attapulgite, processed oyster shell powder, and mixed soil conditioner) at a rate of 2.25 t ha-1 for their effectiveness in decreasing Cd bioavailability in soils and accumulation in rice plants in a paddy field contaminated by Cd (0.38 Cd mg kg-1). The utilization of attapulgite and processed oyster shell powder decreased labile fractions but increased stable fractions of Cd in soils through ion exchange, precipitation and complexation. The addition of attapulgite decreased the concentration of bioavailable Cd in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, whereas the amendment of processed oyster shell powder decreased it only in bulk soil. The Cd accumulation in rice plants correlated significantly with acid-soluble and residual Cd fractions in the rhizosphere soil but not in the bulk soil. The addition of attapulgite and processed oyster shell powder decreased Cd accumulation in rice grains from 0.26 mg kg-1 to 0.14 and 0.19 mg kg-1, respectively, meeting the National Food Safety Standard (< 0.20 mg kg-1). However, the mixed soil conditioner did not decrease the Cd accumulation in rice shoots or grains. This study demonstrated that attapulgite and processed oyster shell powder were economic agents in reducing Cd accumulation in rice grains.

As most pesticides are either insoluble or only slightly soluble in water and must be applied in relatively small amounts over large areas, they are formulated in such a way that a highly concentrated organic chemical can be put into a convenient-to-use and effective form for field use by blending it with additives and inert carriers. The formulation must be easy and economical to use, do the job it is meant for, have an adequate shelf-life, and have no undesirable side effects.....

In 1976 nearly 300,000 tons of various clays were delivered to pesticide manufacturers in the United States alone for use in pesticide formulations (U.S. Department of Agriculture 1976). Of this amount, over 65% was attapulgite. The predominance of attapulgite in the formulation of pesticides in preference to more common clay minerals such as kaolinite and montmorillonite stems from the fact that it is not easily flocculated by electrolytes and does not cake at high relative humidities but remains free-flowing (HADEN and SCHWINT1967).

Slow-release fertilizers could improve the productivity of field crops and reduce environmental pollution. So far, no slow-release fertilizers are suited for maize cultivation in semiarid areas of China. Therefore, we tested attapulgite-coated fertilizers. Attapulgite-coated fertilizers were prepared by dividing chemical fertilizers into three parts according to the nutrient demand of maize in its three main growth stages and coating each part with a layer of attapulgite. This design is novel and unique, satisfying the demands of maize throughout the whole growing season with slow release of nutrients from the coated layers. A field experiment was conducted in 2010 and 2011, using three fertilizer rates, in kg/ha: 94.22 nitrogen (N) and 22.49 phosphorus (P), 139.09 N and 38.98 P, and 254.23 N and 50.98 P. Five types of fertilizers were compared: 20 and 30 % attapulgite-coated chemical fertilizer, 20 and 30 % attapulgite-mixed chemical fertilizer, and chemical fertilizer only. The results show that the soil mineral N and available P of attapulgite-coated fertilizer has a slow-release behavior that allows a better synchronization between nutrient availability and plant needs. Attapulgite-coated fertilizer increased the grain yield by 15.1–18.4 %. The use of attapulgite-coated fertilizers also improved partial factor productivity of N fertilizer by 10.0–26.7 % and P fertilizer by 11.0–26.7 %, compared with the control fertilized without coated formulates. Given their good performance, the attapulgite-coated fertilizers could be a promising alternative slow-release fertilizer for sustainable agriculture in semiarid areas.

NPK and microbial solutions for sustainable, regenerative farming.

Conventional agriculture has relied on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium applications to fuel plant growth. Now research has shown microbes could help make these nutrients more available, efficient, and cost-effective? The power of biological farming and how specific microbes can fix nitrogen, unlock phosphorus, and mobilize potassium naturally—reducing the need for synthetic inputs while improving soil health and diversity.

The role of molybdenum in nitrogen fixation
How microbes solubilize phosphorus for better plant uptake
The hidden power of potassium-mobilizing organisms
How a biological approach can improve crop nutrition and resilience

 For those working in farming, food production, or home gardening, this episode offers practical insights into regenerative agriculture, organic nutrient management, and sustainable farming strategies.

Are traditional NPK fertilizers are the best way forward? 

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Looking for new ideas to boost your production, profitability, and soil vitality? Trial our Attapulgite clay and/or Diatomaceous earth.

To improve fertilizer use efficiency and minimize its negative impact on environment, a slow-release nitrogen and boron fertilizer with water-retention was prepared. Wheat straw was used as skeletal material in copolymerization on which acrylic acid monomer can be grafted to form superabsorbent composite. Urea and borax were introduced to provide nitrogen (N) and boron (B) nutrients, respectively. The product possessed a core/shell structure. Its core was urea in attapulgite and alginate matrix, and the shell was chemically modified wheat straw-g-poly(acrylic acid)/attapulgite (CMWS-g-PAA/APT) superabsorbent composite containing urea and borax. The effects of the amount of cross-linker, initiator, chemically modified wheat straw and attapulgite on water absorbency were investigated and optimized. The water absorbency of superabsorbent synthesized under optimal conditions was 186 g g−1 in tap water. Ammonia-selective electrode and inductively coupled plasma results showed that the contents of the nitrogen and boron of the product were 23.3% and 0.65%, respectively. The water retention capacity and the slow-release behavior of N and B of the product were investigated. The results showed that the product with slow-release and water-retention capacity, being economical, nontoxic in soil and environment-friendly, could be found good application in agriculture and horticultural.

​Heavy-metal contamination is widespread in agricultural soils worldwide, especially paddy soils contaminated by Cd. Amendment-induced immobilization of heavy metals is an attractive and effective technique, provided that cost-effective materials are used. This field experiment compared three alkaline passivators (attapulgite, processed oyster shell powder, and mixed soil conditioner) at a rate of 2.25 t ha-1 for their effectiveness in decreasing Cd bioavailability in soils and accumulation in rice plants in a paddy field contaminated by Cd (0.38 Cd mg kg-1). The utilization of attapulgite and processed oyster shell powder decreased labile fractions but increased stable fractions of Cd in soils through ion exchange, precipitation and complexation. The addition of attapulgite decreased the concentration of bioavailable Cd in both bulk and rhizosphere soils, whereas the amendment of processed oyster shell powder decreased it only in bulk soil. The Cd accumulation in rice plants correlated significantly with acid-soluble and residual Cd fractions in the rhizosphere soil but not in the bulk soil. The addition of attapulgite and processed oyster shell powder decreased Cd accumulation in rice grains from 0.26 mg kg-1 to 0.14 and 0.19 mg kg-1, respectively, meeting the National Food Safety Standard (< 0.20 mg kg-1). However, the mixed soil conditioner did not decrease the Cd accumulation in rice shoots or grains. This study demonstrated that attapulgite and processed oyster shell powder were economic agents in reducing Cd accumulation in rice grains.