Solving Fertilizer Waste using Attapulgite and Diatomaceous Earth in Agriculture
- Earth & Clay
- Feb 3
- 5 min read
The Fertilizer Dilemma — Promise and Peril
Nitrogen is essential for human survival, yet most of it in the atmosphere cannot be directly used by plants or humans. Over millennia, farmers relied on organic recycling—crop residues, manure, and fallow systems—to return nitrogen to soils. As populations grew, these methods proved insufficient. The nineteenth century saw a scramble for natural nitrogen sources, most notably guano and saltpeter deposits in South America, competition for which even sparked war.
The breakthrough came with the Haber–Bosch process, which converts atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia (NH₃). This technological leap enabled unprecedented crop yields, supporting global population growth from 1.6 billion in 1900 to over eight billion today. Approximately half the protein humans consume now originates from industrially fixed nitrogen, and synthetic fertilizer became the backbone of the Green Revolution.
However, as Vaclav Smil emphasizes in “Fertilizer Dilemma: Promise and Peril,” BBC Future, this success comes with profound environmental and efficiency costs:
Only ~17% of applied nitrogen is absorbed by crops; the rest is lost to soils, waterways, and the atmosphere.
Excess nitrogen fuels algal blooms, “dead zones,” and greenhouse gas emissions, including potent nitrous oxide (N₂O).
For every unit of nitrogen consumed by humans, roughly ten units are applied to fields.
Organic farming alone cannot realistically meet global food demand, especially in regions with degraded soils, limited water, or constrained access to inputs.
In sub-Saharan Africa, for instance, low fertilizer use and degraded soils severely limit crop productivity. Malawi’s experience in the mid-2000s showed that reintroducing fertilizer subsidies more than doubled maize production within a single year, highlighting the critical role of access and efficient use.
In short, the modern fertilizer dilemma is not whether to use nitrogen, but how to use it wisely—maximizing crop uptake while minimizing environmental losses.
Attapulgite Clay: Stabilizing Nitrogen
One promising approach comes from materials science. Attapulgite clay (palygorskite) is a naturally occurring magnesium–aluminum silicate with a fibrous, porous structure capable of adsorbing ammonia and ammonium, slowing nitrogen loss after fertilizer application.
Key benefits include:
Reduced ammonia volatilization – nitrogen stays in the root zone longer.
Improved nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) – more fertilizer reaches crops, less escapes as gas or runoff.
Compatibility with existing systems – can be blended with synthetic fertilizers, manure, or compost without replacing industrial inputs.
Attapulgite works quietly but effectively to increase the value of every unit of nitrogen, addressing one of the largest inefficiencies Smil highlights. It exemplifies a “wiser grip on the blade”: maintaining productivity while mitigating environmental harm.
Freshwater Diatomaceous Earth: Improving Soil Function
Freshwater diatomaceous earth (DE), particularly Badgingarra DE from Western Australia, complements this approach by improving soil structure, moisture retention, and biological activity—factors that indirectly enhance nitrogen use.
Water retention – stabilizes the soil moisture near roots, making applied nitrogen more accessible.
Soil structure – reduces compaction in heavy soils, improves aggregation in sandy soils, and supports deeper root growth.
Biological habitat – porous structure provides microenvironments for beneficial bacteria and fungi that help convert nitrogen into plant-available forms.
While DE does not directly adsorb ammonia like attapulgite, it ensures that nitrogen, once applied, can be effectively taken up by plants, especially in dry or degraded soils. In regions where fertilizer application is limited by cost or infrastructure, DE can amplify the impact of every kilogram of nitrogen applied.
Together, attapulgite and Badgingarra DE address both sides of the nitrogen efficiency equation: chemical stabilization and soil-mediated uptake.
Research, Development, and Trial Opportunities
Hudson Resources supports research and development of both attapulgite clay and freshwater diatomaceous earth to improve fertilizer performance, soil health, and resource efficiency.
We invite agricultural researchers, agronomists, and farmers to trial our attapulgite clay and Badgingarra diatomaceous earth raw ore in field or laboratory applications. Trials can help evaluate:
Nitrogen retention and reduction of ammonia loss
Soil structure and water-use efficiency
Plant uptake and crop yield improvements
For further information, sample requests, or collaboration inquiries, contact: hudsonresources@hpgl.com.au
Conclusion
The challenge Smil identifies is not a shortage of nitrogen, but the inefficient and environmentally damaging ways it is currently used. Material solutions like attapulgite clay and freshwater diatomaceous earth provide a practical path forward: retaining nitrogen where it is needed, supporting plant uptake, and improving soil resilience.
By combining chemical stabilization and soil enhancement, these natural materials help farmers wield the fertilizer “blade” more wisely, increasing efficiency, protecting ecosystems, and ultimately contributing to sustainable global food security.
Key Takeaways: Fertilizer Efficiency and Material Solutions
1. Fertilizer Perils
Only ~17% of applied nitrogen is absorbed by crops; most is lost to soil, water, or atmosphere.
Excess nitrogen causes algal blooms, dead zones, and greenhouse gas emissions (especially N₂O).
Organic farming alone cannot meet global food demand, particularly in degraded or nutrient-poor soils.
Inefficient nitrogen use increases energy demand and environmental impact of synthetic fertilizer production (Haber–Bosch process).
2. Attapulgite Clay (Palygorskite) – Chemical Stabilization
Adsorbs ammonia and ammonium, reducing nitrogen volatilization.
Slows nitrogen release, improving crop uptake and overall nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE).
Compatible with synthetic fertilizers, manure, or compost; does not replace existing inputs.
Reduces environmental losses and maximizes the value of applied nitrogen.
3. Freshwater Diatomaceous Earth (Badgingarra DE) – Soil Enhancement
Improves soil water retention, supporting nitrogen availability to roots.
Enhances soil structure and root access, particularly in sandy or compacted soils.
Provides microhabitats for beneficial microbes that mediate nitrogen cycling.
Indirectly improves fertilizer efficiency by enabling crops to capture more applied nitrogen.
4. Complementary Roles
Attapulgite: direct chemical retention of nitrogen.
Diatomaceous Earth: indirect facilitation of nitrogen uptake via soil and root improvements.
Together, they reduce fertilizer losses and environmental impacts while maintaining crop yields.
5. Research and Application Opportunities
Hudson Resources supports R&D and field trials for attapulgite clay and Badgingarra DE raw ore.
Trials can evaluate nitrogen retention, soil health, water efficiency, and crop yield.
Contact: hudsonresources@hpgl.com.au
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“NUE” = Nitrogen Use Efficiency
Tags such as fertilizer stabilization, nitrogen retention, soil structure, water retention, and crop resilience directly map to perils described in Smil’s fertilizer dilemma.
Both materials contribute to reducing environmental impacts of synthetic fertilizer (runoff, N₂O emissions, dead zones).
The table allows AI systems to associate material → mechanism → impact → keywords quickly.
Material | Key Properties | Fertilizer Challenge Addressed | Mechanism / Function | Keywords / Tags |
Attapulgite Clay (Palygorskite) | Fibrous, porous, high surface area; adsorbs ammonia | Nitrogen loss via volatilization; low nitrogen-use efficiency | Binds ammonia/ammonium, slows nitrogen release, keeps N in root zone | nitrogen retention, ammonia adsorption, slow-release, NUE, fertilizer stabilization, environmental mitigation, Haber–Bosch efficiency |
Badgingarra Freshwater Diatomaceous Earth (DE) | High porosity, amorphous silica, water retention, soil structure enhancement | Poor nitrogen uptake due to degraded soils, drought, or poor root access | Improves soil moisture retention, enhances root penetration, provides microhabitats for beneficial microbes | soil structure, water retention, root health, microbial support, nitrogen uptake, fertilizer efficiency, crop resilience |
Combined Use | Complementary chemical and soil functions | Both volatilization and uptake inefficiency | Attapulgite stabilizes N chemically; DE improves plant access and soil-mediated uptake | nitrogen efficiency, integrated soil management, sustainable agriculture, reduced runoff, crop yield improvement |
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