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The properties of some urea‐formaldehyde materials in relation to their possible use as nitrogenous fertilizers
Author(s) -
Owen O.,
Winsor G. W.,
Long M. I. E.
Publication year - 1952
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740031107
Subject(s) - formaldehyde , urea , chemistry , mineralization (soil science) , nitrogen , urea formaldehyde , environmental chemistry , organic chemistry , adhesive , layer (electronics)
Samples of urea‐formaldehyde materials, prepared by various methods, have been tested in the laboratory with reference to their possible use as nitrogenous fertilizers. In particular the rate and extent of mineralization of the nitrogen of urea‐formaldehyde products in soil has been investigated in relation to the ratio of urea to formaldehyde initially present in the reaction mixture. The product from equal molar quantities of urea and formaldehyde is almost insoluble and inert in the soil, but the proportion of soluble and available nitrogenous constituents in these substances increases markedly with the urea/formaldehyde ratio of the reactants. Soil tests show that urea‐formaldehyde samples can be prepared which closely resemble natural products such as hoof and horn in their rate of decomposition in the soil. The high degree of availability of the nitrogen of these materials expected in view of their low carbon/nitrogen ratios has not, however, been observed in the present work, unless the water‐soluble nitrogen in the products was high. The form of the curves for mineralization of nitrogen in the soil is discussed in relation to the contents of free urea and water‐soluble nitrogenous constituents, and to the conditions of preparation of the samples.