Lignin-urea agricultural fertilizer

A method of using a composition as a fertilizer comprising:

• providing a fertilizer composition comprising:
• (i) a lignin in an amount of 5 or about 5 to 30 or about 30 weight percent solids;
• (ii) a carbohydrate in an amount of 1 or about 1 to 20 or about 20 weight percent solids, wherein the lignin and carbohydrate form a lignin-carbohydrate mixture;
• and
• (iii) a urea moiety bonded to the lignin within the lignin-carbohydrate mixture;
• (iv) an oxy acid added to the lignin-carbohydrate mixture, wherein the oxy acid is a peroxy acid, wherein the peroxy acid is at least one of peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide;
• (v) a chelated compound added to the lignin-carbohydrate mixture, wherein the chelated compound is at least one of pentetic acid, diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and diethylenetriamine penta(methylenephosphonic) acid (DTMPA);
• wherein the fertilizer composition has a pH in the range of 5.5 or about 5.5 to 8.5 or about 8.5, wherein the fertilizer composition optionally comprises either an acidic pH adjustment agent or a basic pH adjustment agent to achieve an acidic or basic pH;
• wherein the fertilizer composition is in liquid form and comprises a solvent borne blend of solids in water, the solids comprising lignin, carbohydrate and urea;
• wherein the fertilizer composition comprises about 46 weight percent solids;
• wherein the fertilizer composition is a stable aqueous dispersion;
• wherein the fertilizer composition does not include a coating, does not include any crosslinking agents, and does not include any surfactants;
• wherein the lignin-carbohydrate mixture is a blend or a copolymer of lignin and carbohydrate, wherein at least 90 weight percent of the carbohydrate is derived from hemicellulose;
• wherein the lignin and carbohydrate comprise less than 2 weight percent sulfur;
• wherein the lignin comprises less than 3500 Da average molecular weight;
• wherein the solids are substantially free of monosaccharides in that the solids comprise monosaccharides in an amount of less than 0.1 weight percent solids;
• wherein substantially all of the hemicellulose and substantially all of the lignin is derived from a non-wood source and wherein the non-wood source of lignin and hemicellulose is selected from the group consisting of wheat straw, rice straw, barley straw, oat straw, rye grass, coastal Bermuda grass, arundo donax, miscanthus, bamboo, sorghum, banana harvest residue, pineapple residue, sugarcane bagasse, industrial hemp, recreational cannabis waste, nut shell residue, kenaf, switchgrass, succulents, alfalfa, corn stover, and, flax straw;
• wherein the fertilizer composition is substantially free of anthraquinone;
• wherein the fertilizer composition further comprises phosphates at least one of sodium phosphate, calcium phosphate and potassium phosphate in amounts up to 5 weight percent or about 5 weight percent;
• wherein the nitrogen content of the fertilizer composition ranges between 10 or about 10 to 25 or about 25 weight percent;
• and,
• applying the fertilizer composition to soil.