top of page
Compost accelerant
End use application
Our Attapulgite clay is:
-
free from mineral acid
-
lightweight
-
high cation-exchange capacity
End use compost application:
-
provides remediation for heavy metal contaminated soils
-
increases composting temperature
-
adsorptive properties of liquid waste
-
reduction of emissions of nitrite oxide and ammonia
-
ph Regulator
-
soil Aeration
-
nutrient Uptake
-
better Soil Structure
-
enhances Root Growth
-
biological Function
-
cost effective
How does it work?
Attapulgite is a natural clay which is used in agriculture as a soil conditioner. It enhances the porosity and water retention of the soil. It also has the ability to absorb excess nitrogen and phosphorus and release it gradually to the roots of the plants when needed.
When utilised as a soil enhancer in any crop, conventional or organic, Attapulgite is a 100% natural porous clay mineral that helps to boost yields.
It is available in granular or powder form; the first is put directly to the soil and is then absorbed there, whereas the latter is applied by absorbing from the earth and being sprayed over plants.
Whatever its shape, Attapulgite is a mineral that is completely safe for people and the environment.
abstract and full article link to Attapulgite clay
Compost accelerant application research
This paper investigated the effects of attapulgite addition on the physicochemical processes, heavy metal transformation, and microbial community during the composting of agricultural wastes and sediment. In addition, the correlation between environmental factors, heavy metals (HMs), and microbial community was also assessed by redundancy analysis (RDA). The results showed that pile B with attapulgite addition entered the thermophilic phase earlier and lasted longer than pile A as the control group. The reduction in the bioavailability of HMs (Cr, Cd, and Zn) was also greater in pile B, and the passivation of HMs was ranked as Cd > Zn > Cr. The relative abundance of phylum Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria was the highest throughout the composting process. Furthermore, the RDA showed that the bacterial community composition was significantly correlated with temperature and C/N ratio in pile A, while significantly correlated with organic matter and pH in pile B. And the addition of attapulgite facilitated the conversion of HMs into more stable fractions by Pseudomonas. The study would provide a reference for the application of attapulgite to remediate the river sediment polluted by HMs.
The acceleration of the composting process and the improvement of compost quality have been explored by evaluating the efficacy of various additives, inoculating with specific microorganisms and the application of various biosurfactants. The magnesium-aluminum silicate attapulgite is a low-cost potential composting additive, but its effects on aerobic composting are unknown. This study investigated the effects of attapulgite application on compost production and quality during the aerobic composting of chicken manure. Addition of attapulgite significantly increased the temperature (p < 0.05) while it reduced compost total organic carbon (TOC) and seed germination indices (GIs) throughout the process. Its addition enhanced nitrate concentrations, promoted organic matter degradation, increased seed germination indices, and accelerated the composting process. Interestingly, attapulgite addition did not increase the population of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. These results suggest that attapulgite is a good additive for the composting industry.
The acceleration of the composting process and the improvement of compost quality have been explored by evaluating the efficacy of various additives, inoculating with specific microorganisms and the application of various biosurfactants. The magnesium-aluminum silicate attapulgite is a low-cost potential composting additive, but its effects on aerobic composting are unknown. This study investigated the effects of attapulgite application on compost production and quality during the aerobic composting of chicken manure. Addition of attapulgite significantly increased the temperature (p < 0.05) while it reduced compost total organic carbon (TOC) and seed germination indices (GIs) throughout the process. Its addition enhanced nitrate concentrations, promoted organic matter degradation, increased seed germination indices, and accelerated the composting process. Interestingly, attapulgite addition did not increase the population of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. These results suggest that attapulgite is a good additive for the composting industry.
Implications: We investigated the addition of two forms of attapulgite during aerobic composting of chicken manure to determine their effects under strict composting environmental parameter control. Our results provides primary evidence that attapulgite may have potential for application in the composting industry. All treatments showed no increase within the first 15 days. However, emissions increased for all treatments within 15-45 days, reaching approximately 6300, 2000, and 4000 mg/m2 from the control, artifactitious attapulgite, and raw attapulgite treatments, respectively.
We first revealed the behavior and biochemical mechanism of high iron attapulgite (HIAP) and different dosages affecting sewage sludge (SS) composting. HS/TOC ratio increased, but HA/TOC and HA/FA ratios reduced with the increase in HIAP dose. High-dose HIAP promoted the formation of more HS by weak catalytic effect but could bind more FA than HA by strong adsorption effect to inhibit the polymerization of the adsorbed FA into HA. Mixing SS with HIAP and subsequent composting as two consecutive processes during HIAP-amended composting significantly influenced the species distribution of heavy metals (HMs) Cu, Zn, and Cr. Each process roughly contributed one-half to HMs passivation. The bioavailable fraction (BF) of HMs reduced with the increase of HIAP dose. HIAP dose greatly affected the microbial community. Both 1% and 5% HIAP treatments promoted Proteobacteria and Firmicutes, but 10% HIAP promoted Actinobacteriota and Bacteroidota. At the thermophilic phase, HIAP dose greatly affected core thermophilic microbial genera, which were significantly correlated to pile temperature and pH value. In the maturity stage, core microbial genera in different treatments were basically similar and closely correlated to the bioavailable fraction (BF) of HMs and HA, and the influence order was BF–Cr > BF–Cu > BF–Zn > HA. The optimal 5% HIAP dose was recommended.
The invention discloses an attapulgite based fertilizer for improving soil. The attapulgite based fertilizer for improving the soil comprises the following components in percentage by mass: 12-18% of thifluzamide, 25% of superphosphate, 2.6-4.3% of a dispersing agent, 5.5% of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate, 15% of attapulgite, 2.2-4.5% of urea, 2% of a coolant, 0.5% of an antifoaming agent SAG622, and the balance of deionized water. The preparation method comprises the following steps: crushing, roasting and acidizing attapulgite; then mixing with the rest materials based on the mixing ratio; and finally transferring into a sanding cup to be sanded. According to the fertilizer prepared by the method, attapulgite clays are subjected to heat treatment to enable a disorderly-deposited bundle rod shaped structure to be loose and porous; the specific surface of an attapulgite crystal can be increased through the acid activation treatment, and thus the absorbing capacity can be effectively improved. The prepared attapulgite based fertilizer has the effects of performing sterilization and supplying nutrition to crop.
Clay minerals are the main cementing substances for sandy soils to form aggregates. The clay mineral attapulgite clay is abundant in Northwest China, and its special colloidal properties and crystal structure make it excellent in improving soil physicochemical properties. Using attapulgite as soil conditioner, the effects of different application rates of attapulgite on the formation and stability of sandy soil aggregates were studied through field experiments for two consecutive years. The results showed that the application of 6000 kg·hm−2 attapulgite soil in sandy soil farmland for two consecutive years reduced the soil bulk density by 0–20 cm, from 1.55 g·cm−3 to 1.47 g·cm−3, a decrease of 3.6%; the soil pH was increased by 3.7% from 8.59 to 8.84. The soil organic carbon, inorganic carbon and total nitrogen in the whole soil increased by 4.52%, 5.23% and 6.22%, respectively. The mass fraction of macro-aggregates of 2–0.25 mm and micro-aggregates of 0.25–0.053 mm as well as the contents of organic carbon, inorganic carbon and total nitrogen increased by 3.5%, 5.2%, 8.7%, 5.6% and 6.7%, respectively, thus improving the stability of aggregates. However, low application rates (1500 kg·hm−2 and 3000 kg·hm−2) of attapulgite had no significant effect on soil physical and chemical properties. Attapulgite, as a kind of highly adsorptive clay mineral, can be directly applied to sandy soil to increase soil cementitious substances, promote the formation of soil aggregates and increase the carbon and nitrogen fixation capacity of sandy soil. The improvement effect on the formation and stability of aggregates will gradually accumulate with the years of application. Therefore, in the future, the effects of adding attapulgite on the growth of various crops under various types of soil and climatic conditions should be carried out to obtain more systematic conclusions.
Flocculation synergistic with nano zero-valent iron augmented attapulgite @ chitosan as Fenton-like catalyst for the treatment of landfill leachate
In this study, nano-zero-valent iron (NZVI) was added to attapulgite/chitosan and used as a catalyst in the heterogeneous Fenton process to degrade stabilized landfill leachate. Landfill leachate has serious environmental impacts due to the complexity and diversity of its pollutants. A magnetic catalyst (NZVI@PATP/CS) was prepared by a liquid-phase reduction method. The NZVI@PATP/CS were characterized by XRD, FTIR and SEM. The pH of leachate and the dosage of catalyst and H2O2 were changed to determine the best-operating conditions for the effective removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and total phosphorus(TP). To understand the adsorption degradation mechanism, the quenching experiments of free radicals were carried out. The results showed that the degradation rates of COD and TP were 66% and 92%, respectively, under the optimum pH value of 8, the dosage of H2O2 of 5 mL, and the dosage of the catalyst of 0.25 g for 60 min.
Milled Attapulgite
Inverse Gas Chromatograph
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.
Ecofriendly Biodegradation of Hydrocarbons Compounds from Crude Oily Wastewater
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.
Absorption of Oils from WaterHydrophobic Spongy Attapulgite
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. ...
Composite PEM for
Fuel Cell applications
Acidified Attapulgite
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.
Removal of heavy metals (Pb)
Functionalised Attapulgite
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.
Reduction cadmium in in contaminated fields ricegrains
Attapulgite & oyster shell
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.
Natural pesticide formulations
Preference for attapulgite
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).
Increased maize yield
Slow-release attapulgite-coated fertilisers
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.
Slow-release N & B fertiliser
Attapulgite superabsorbent formulation
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.
Reduction cadmium in in contaminated fields ricegrains
Attapulgite & oyster shell
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.
bottom of page