TY - JOUR
T1 - Diffusion characteristics and controlled release of bacterial fertilizers from modified calcium alginate capsules
AU - Liu, Chien Hung
AU - Wu, Jane Yii
AU - Chang, Jo Shu
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was financially supported by the Research Grant NSC 93-2317-B-005-011 from Taiwan’s National Science Council. The authors also thank Professor Chiu-Chung Young of National Chung Hsing University (Taichung, Taiwan), for providing the PSB strain used in this study.
PY - 2008/4
Y1 - 2008/4
N2 - An indigenous Cellulosimicrobium cellulans GS6 isolate able to solubilize insoluble phosphate complexes in soil is a potential bacterial fertilizer. Enclosure of the phosphate-solubilizing bacterium (PSB) in biodegradable capsules may protect the PSB cells inoculated into soil and, in the meantime, enable the control of cell release that confers long-term fertilizing effects. In this study, calcium alginate (CA) was used as the core matrix to encapsulate cells of C. cellulans GS6. The cell-liberating properties of the CA-based capsules were modified by blending with a variety of supplemental materials (SM), including chitin, cellulose, olive oil, and gelatin. The experimental results showed that the maximum cell-release percentage (MCR%) of the capsules decreased in the order of CA-cellulose > CA-olive oil > CA-chitin > CA-gelatin > CA. Furthermore, a mass transport model was developed to accurately describe the kinetics of cell release results for each capsule. The diffusion coefficient (De) of each capsule was also determined from the model simulation. We found that the estimated De values are positively correlated to the release rate with rare exceptions. Lastly, as our results underscored the crucial roles that the type of capsules plays in the rate and amount of cell release, controlled release of the bacterial fertilizer (C. cellulans GS6 cells) may be achieved via the design of capsule materials.
AB - An indigenous Cellulosimicrobium cellulans GS6 isolate able to solubilize insoluble phosphate complexes in soil is a potential bacterial fertilizer. Enclosure of the phosphate-solubilizing bacterium (PSB) in biodegradable capsules may protect the PSB cells inoculated into soil and, in the meantime, enable the control of cell release that confers long-term fertilizing effects. In this study, calcium alginate (CA) was used as the core matrix to encapsulate cells of C. cellulans GS6. The cell-liberating properties of the CA-based capsules were modified by blending with a variety of supplemental materials (SM), including chitin, cellulose, olive oil, and gelatin. The experimental results showed that the maximum cell-release percentage (MCR%) of the capsules decreased in the order of CA-cellulose > CA-olive oil > CA-chitin > CA-gelatin > CA. Furthermore, a mass transport model was developed to accurately describe the kinetics of cell release results for each capsule. The diffusion coefficient (De) of each capsule was also determined from the model simulation. We found that the estimated De values are positively correlated to the release rate with rare exceptions. Lastly, as our results underscored the crucial roles that the type of capsules plays in the rate and amount of cell release, controlled release of the bacterial fertilizer (C. cellulans GS6 cells) may be achieved via the design of capsule materials.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.biortech.2007.03.029
DO - 10.1016/j.biortech.2007.03.029
M3 - Article
C2 - 17482812
AN - SCOPUS:37549049677
SN - 0960-8524
VL - 99
SP - 1904
EP - 1910
JO - Agricultural Wastes
JF - Agricultural Wastes
IS - 6
ER -
