UShuohao Cai, umfundi wezobudokotela kwezesayensi yomhlabathi, ubeka induku yesensa enesitikha sesensa esisebenza ngemisebenzi eminingi esivumela ukulinganiswa kokujula okuhlukene enhlabathini e-University of Wisconsin-Madison Hancock Agricultural Research Station.
MADISON — Onjiniyela base-University of Wisconsin-Madison bathuthukise izinzwa ezishibhile ezinganikeza ukuqapha okuqhubekayo, ngesikhathi sangempela kwe-nitrate ezinhlotsheni zenhlabathi ezivamile zaseWisconsin. Lezi zinzwa ze-electrochemical eziphrintiwe zingasiza abalimi ukuthi benze izinqumo zokuphathwa kwezakhamzimba ezinolwazi oluthe xaxa futhi bazuze izinzuzo zomnotho.
“Izinzwa zethu zinganika abalimi ukuqonda okungcono ngesimo sokudla okunomsoco enhlabathini yabo kanye nenani le-nitrate elitholakala ezitshalweni zabo, okubasiza banqume ngokunembile ukuthi badinga umanyolo ongakanani ngempela,” kusho uJoseph Andrews, uprofesa osizayo eHarvard University. Ucwaningo luholwa yiSikole Sobunjiniyela Bemishini eNyuvesi yaseWisconsin-Madison. “Uma benganciphisa inani lomanyolo abawuthengayo, ukonga izindleko kungaba yinto ebalulekile emapulazini amakhulu.”
Ama-nitrate ayizakhamzimba ezibalulekile ekukhuleni kwezitshalo, kodwa ama-nitrate amaningi angaphuma enhlabathini angene emanzini angaphansi komhlaba. Lolu hlobo lokungcola luyingozi kubantu abaphuza amanzi angcolile futhi luyingozi emvelweni. Inzwa entsha yabacwaningi ingasetshenziswa futhi njengethuluzi locwaningo lwezolimo ukuqapha ukuphuma kwe-nitrate nokusiza ukuthuthukisa imikhuba emihle yokunciphisa imiphumela yayo eyingozi.
Izindlela zamanje zokuqapha i-nitrate yenhlabathi zidinga umsebenzi omningi, ziyabiza, futhi azinikezi idatha yesikhathi sangempela. Yingakho uchwepheshe we-elekthronikhi ophrintiwe u-Andrews kanye nethimba lakhe baqala ukudala ikhambi elingcono nelingabizi kakhulu.
Kulo msebenzi, abacwaningi basebenzise inqubo yokunyathelisa i-inkjet ukudala inzwa ye-potentiometric, uhlobo lwenzwa ye-electrochemical yefilimu encane. Izinzwa ze-Potentiometric zivame ukusetshenziselwa ukukala ngokunembile i-nitrate ezixazululweni zoketshezi. Kodwa-ke, lezi zinzwa ngokuvamile azifaneleki ukusetshenziswa ezindaweni zomhlabathi ngoba izinhlayiya ezinkulu zomhlabathi zingaklwebha izinzwa futhi zivimbele ukulinganisa okunembile.
“Inselele enkulu esasizama ukuyixazulula kwakuwukuthola indlela yokwenza lezi zinzwa ze-electrochemical zisebenze kahle ezimweni ezinzima zenhlabathi futhi zithole ngokunembile ama-ion e-nitrate,” kusho u-Andrews.
Isixazululo seqembu kwakuwukubeka ungqimba lwe-polyvinylidene fluoride ku-sensor. Ngokusho kuka-Andrews, le nto inezici ezimbili ezibalulekile. Okokuqala, inama-pores amancane kakhulu, angaba ngu-400 nanometers ngobukhulu, avumela ama-ion e-nitrate ukuthi adlule ngenkathi evimba izinhlayiya zomhlabathi. Okwesibili, iyathandeka emanzini, okungukuthi, idonsela amanzi futhi iwamunce njengesiponji.
“Ngakho-ke noma yimaphi amanzi acebile nge-nitrate azongena ngokukhethekile ezinzwa zethu, okubaluleke kakhulu ngoba inhlabathi nayo ifana nesiponji futhi uzolahlekelwa yimpi maqondana nomswakama ongena enzwa uma ungakwazi ukuthola ukumuncwa kwamanzi okufanayo. Amandla enhlabathi,” kusho u-Andrews. “Lezi zakhiwo zengqimba ye-polyvinylidene fluoride zisivumela ukuthi sikhiphe amanzi acebile nge-nitrate, siwalethe endaweni yesenzwa futhi sithole i-nitrate ngokunembile.”
Abacwaningi bachaze intuthuko yabo ephepheni elanyatheliswa ngoMashi 2024 ephephabhukwini i-Advanced Materials Technology.
Ithimba lihlole inzwa yalo ezinhlotsheni ezimbili zenhlabathi ezihlukene ezihlotshaniswa neWisconsin—inhlabathi enesihlabathi, evame kakhulu ezingxenyeni ezisenyakatho-maphakathi zesifundazwe, kanye ne-silty loams, evame kakhulu eningizimu-ntshonalanga yeWisconsin—futhi lathola ukuthi izinzwa zikhiqize imiphumela enembile.
Abacwaningi manje sebehlanganisa inzwa yabo ye-nitrate ohlelweni lwenzwa olunemisebenzi eminingi abalubiza ngokuthi “i-sensor sticker,” lapho izinhlobo ezintathu ezahlukene zezinzwa zifakwa khona phezu kwepulasitiki eguquguqukayo kusetshenziswa i-adhesive backing backup. Izitikha ziqukethe nezinzwa zomswakama kanye nokushisa.
Abacwaningi bazonamathisela izitika eziningana zezinzwa esigxotsheni, bazibeke ezindaweni eziphakeme ezahlukene, bese begqiba isigxobo enhlabathini. Lokhu kusetha kwabavumela ukuthi bathathe izilinganiso ekujuleni kwenhlabathi okuhlukene.
“Ngokulinganisa i-nitrate, umswakama kanye nokushisa ekujuleni okuhlukene, manje sesingakwazi ukulinganisa inqubo yokukhipha i-nitrate futhi siqonde ukuthi i-nitrate ihamba kanjani enhlabathini, okuyinto eyayingenakwenzeka ngaphambili,” kusho u-Andrews.
Ehlobo lika-2024, abacwaningi bahlela ukubeka izinduku zezinzwa ezingu-30 enhlabathini eHancock Agricultural Research Station kanye nase-Arlington Agricultural Research Station eNyuvesi yaseWisconsin-Madison ukuze baqhubeke nokuhlola inzwa.
Isikhathi sokuthunyelwe: Julayi-09-2024