Research Projects

India, with nearly 58% of its population dependent on agriculture (FAO, 2021), is adopting modern inputs like polymer-coated controlled-release fertilizers (PC-CRFs) to meet rising food demand and ensure food security. Rationale: However, growing use of PC-CRFs in agriculture has improved nutrient efficiency and crop productivity, but their environmental implications remain poorly understood. The polymeric coatings, designed for controlled degradation, may fragment into microplastics (MPs) under environmental stressors. While plastic mulches and packaging have been recognized as sources of terrestrial MPs, PC-CRFs represent a potentially significant but under-researched source of diffuse microplastic pollution in agroecosystems. In the context of India—one of the largest consumers of chemical fertilizers this knowledge gap has important implications for soil health, water quality, and food security. Scientific Objectives: Characterize PC-CRF coatings to determine polymer types and degradation potential. Investigate MP release dynamics from PC-CRFs in both soil and water media under controlled laboratory conditions. Elucidate the transport mechanisms and seasonal variability in the movement of MPs from agricultural soils to nearby water bodies (e.g., during irrigation vs. non-irrigation periods). Hypothesis: PC-CRFs act as a diffuse source of microplastics in agricultural soils, releasing MPs under environmental, microbial, and mechanical stresses. These MPs are further mobilized into nearby water bodies through hydrological processes, with transport dynamics varying significantly between irrigation and non-irrigation seasons. Experimental Approach: •Polymer characterization of PC-CRFs using FTIR, SEM-EDS, and TGA. •Controlled incubation experiments in different soil types (e.g., sandy loam, clay loam) and aqueous media to monitor MP release over time under variable moisture, microbial activity, and simulated tillage. •Field-simulated runoff experiments and lysimeter setups to assess MP migration pathways during irrigation and dry periods. •MP extraction, quantification, and identification via filtration, density separation, oxidative digestion, and analysis using stereomicroscopy and µFTIR/Raman spectroscopy. Expected Significance: This project will deliver the first empirical dataset and novel details linking PC-CRFs to MP contamination in Indian agroecosystems, revealing both their degradation behaviour and environmental fate. It will enhance our fundamental understanding of plastic-soil-water interactions and inform sustainable fertilizer practices. The outcomes will also support evidence-based policy recommendations on the regulation of plastic use in agriculture, ultimately contributing to SDGs related to clean water (SDG 6), sustainable agriculture (SDG 2), and environmental protection (SDG 15), while safeguarding long-term food security.