Acid treatment for fertilizers to increase zinc solubility and availability
AssigneeThe Mosaic Company
InventorsMichael John McLaughlin, Jozefien Louisa Elvire Degryse, Roslyn Jane Baird, Rodrigo Coqui da Silva, Bryan Todd Baylor, Lawrence Alan Peacock
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Abstract
Methods and system for increasing the water solubility and availability of zinc in granular fertilizers using acid treatments. The treatment of granular fertilizers with an acidic solution increases an amount of water-soluble zinc, which in turn, increases the efficiency of zinc uptake and reduces the costs and equipment otherwise needed to mitigate zinc deficiencies.
Claims27
A granulated fertilizer product comprising:
- a plurality of acidified fertilizer granules including a plurality of base granules, each base granule containing a macronutrient source and a source of zinc incorporated into the macronutrient source, wherein the macronutrient source comprises a phosphate containing fertilizer,
- wherein each base fertilizer granule is acidified by direct application of liquid sulfuric acid to only an outer surface of the base fertilizer granule in an amount to increase zinc solubility thereby increasing availability of zinc for plant uptake.
A method for increasing zinc solubility and consequently availability in fertilizer granules, comprising:
- providing a granular fertilizer product comprising a plurality of base fertilizer granules, each base fertilizer granule formed of a macronutrient source and a source of zinc incorporated into the base fertilizer granule;
- and
- applying liquid sulfuric acid directly to only an outer surface of the macronutrient source of the base fertilizer granules in an amount to increase zinc solubility thereby increasing availability of zinc for plant uptake.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.